What is the full form of PKC
PKC: Public Key Cryptography
PKC stands for Public Key Cryptography. It is also known as asymmetric cryptography. It is an encryption technique or a framework that uses a pair of keys (public and private key) for secure data communication.
These keys are related, but not identical keys. Each key performs a unique function, i.e., the public key is used to encrypt, and the private key is used to decrypt. The sender uses the recipient’s public key to encrypt a message, and the recipient uses the private key to decrypt this message. The use of two keys enables PKC to solve challenges faced in other cryptographic techniques.
PKC is different from the symmetric key algorithm, which uses only one key to both encrypt and decrypt. The two types of PKC algorithms are RSA (Rivest, Shamir, and Adelman) and Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA). PKC encryption evolved to meet the growing need for secure communication in multiple sectors such as the military, government offices, etc. This type of cryptography has become an important element of modern computer security and a critical component of the cryptocurrency system.
How Does PKC Work?
The public key is used by the sender to encrypt information, whereas the private key is used by a recipient to decrypt it. The public key can be shared without compromising the security of the private one. All asymmetric key pairs are unique, so a message encrypted with a public key can only be read by the person who has the corresponding private key.
The keys of a pair are mathematically related, and their length is much longer than those used in symmetric cryptography. So, it is not easy to decipher the private key from its pubic counterpart. RSA is one of the most common algorithms for asymmetric encryption in use today.
Benefits of PKC:
- One key cannot be derived from another key, and there is no need to exchange the keys
- It allows to establish authentication of the sender by using PKC (digital signature)
- It can be used to create a digital signature in the Operating System software such as Ubuntu, Red Hat Linux packages distribution, etc.
Applications of Public Key Cryptography:
- Emails can be encrypted using public-key cryptography to keep their content confidential
- Secure socket layer (SSL) protocol also uses asymmetric cryptography to make secure connections to websites
- It is also used in blockchain and cryptography technology. For example, while setting up a new cryptocurrency wallet, a pair of keys is generated.