Secure Coding Practices Questions Medium
Symmetric and asymmetric encryption are two different approaches to encrypting data, and they differ in terms of the keys used and the encryption process.
Symmetric encryption uses a single key for both encryption and decryption. This means that the same key is used to both scramble and unscramble the data. The key needs to be kept secret and secure, as anyone who possesses the key can decrypt the data. Symmetric encryption is generally faster and more efficient than asymmetric encryption, making it suitable for encrypting large amounts of data. However, the challenge with symmetric encryption is securely distributing and managing the shared key among the communicating parties.
On the other hand, asymmetric encryption, also known as public-key encryption, uses a pair of mathematically related keys: a public key and a private key. The public key is freely distributed and used for encryption, while the private key is kept secret and used for decryption. The public key can be shared with anyone, allowing them to encrypt data that only the holder of the private key can decrypt. Asymmetric encryption provides a secure way to exchange encrypted messages without the need for a shared secret key. However, it is computationally more expensive than symmetric encryption, making it less suitable for encrypting large amounts of data.
In summary, the main difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption keys lies in the number of keys used and their distribution. Symmetric encryption uses a single shared key, while asymmetric encryption uses a pair of mathematically related keys: a public key and a private key.