Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Unleashed

Understanding Private Key Versus Public Key Encryption

Encryption techniques can primarily be classified as either symmetrical or asymmetrical. Symmetrical encryption requires that each party in an encryption scheme hold a copy of a private key, which is used to encrypt and decrypt information sent between the two parties. The problem with private key encryption is that the private key must somehow be transmitted to the other party without it being intercepted and used to decrypt the information.

Public key, or asymmetrical, encryption uses a combination of two keys mathematically related to each other. The first key, the public key, is widely available and can be used to encrypt the information. The second key, the private key, is kept closely ...