Secure Coding Practices Questions
The main difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption lies in the way encryption and decryption keys are used.
In symmetric encryption, the same key is used for both encryption and decryption. This means that the sender and receiver must have access to the same secret key. The encryption process is fast and efficient, making it suitable for encrypting large amounts of data. However, the challenge lies in securely sharing the secret key between the sender and receiver.
On the other hand, asymmetric encryption uses a pair of mathematically related keys: a public key and a private key. The public key is used for encryption, while the private key is used for decryption. This allows for secure communication without the need to share the private key. The encryption process is slower compared to symmetric encryption, but it provides a higher level of security and enables digital signatures and key exchange protocols.
In summary, symmetric encryption uses the same key for encryption and decryption, while asymmetric encryption uses a pair of keys for encryption and decryption.