Mastering Active Directory - Second Edition

Symmetric keys versus asymmetric keys

There are two types of cryptographic methods used to encrypt data:

• Symmetric keys: Symmetric methods work in exactly the same way that your door lock works. You have one key to lock or open the door. This is also called a shared secret or private key. Virtual private network (VPN) connections and backup software are a couple of examples that still use symmetric keys to encrypt data.

• Asymmetric keys: This method, on the other hand, uses a key pair to do the encryption and decryption. It includes two keys: one is a public key and the other one is a private key. Public keys are always distributed to the public and anyone can have them. Private keys are unique to the object in question and are not distributed ...