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RSA Encryption Algorithm | Rivest–Shamir–Adleman | RSA Algorithm Explained | Simplilearn

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Encryption strength totally lies on the key size and if we double or triple the key size, the strength of encryption increases exponentially. RSA keys can be typically 1024 or 2048 bits long, but experts believe that 1024 bit keys could be broken in the near future. But till now it seems to be an infeasible task.

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The idea of RSA is based on the fact that it is difficult to factorize a large integer. The public key consists of two numbers where one number is multiplication of two large prime numbers. And private key is also derived from the same two prime numbers. So if somebody can factorize the large number, the private key is compromised.

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Since this is asymmetric, nobody else except browser can decrypt the data even if a third party has public key of browser.

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RSA algorithm is asymmetric cryptography algorithm. Asymmetric actually means that it works on two different keys i.e. Public Key and Private Key. As the name describes that the Public Key is given to everyone and Private key is kept private.

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Index:
Green: Cryptography
Blue: Cryptography & Cyber Security
Purple: Focus
White: Images/GIFs

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Careers in Cyber Security: Cryptography vs. Encryption | Maryville Online

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Cryptography vs. encryption: Both are essential to modern cybersecurity. Cybersecurity keeps companies and consumers safe by protecting sensitive data online.

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Cybersecurity experts use cryptography to design algorithms, ciphers, and other security measures that codify and protect company and customer data.

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Cryptography is one of the most important tools for building secure systems. Through the proper use of cryptography, one can ensure the confidentiality of data, protect data from unauthorized modification, and authenticate the source of data. Cryptography can also enable many other security goals as well. Cryptography, however, is not a panacea. Getting cryptography right is extremely hard. Some common pitfalls are listed below.

Rolling your own cryptographic algorithms or implementations. Designing a cryptographic algorithm (including protocols and modes) requires significant and rare mathematical skills and training, and even trained mathematicians sometimes produce algorithms that have subtle problems. There are also numerous subtleties with implementing cryptographic algorithms. For example, the order of operations involved when exponentiating a number - something common in cryptographic operations - can leak secret information to attackers. Standard algorithms and libraries are preferable.

Misuse of libraries and algorithms. Even when using strong libraries, do not assume that just using the libraries will be sufficient. There have been numerous instances in which standard libraries were used, but the developers using the libraries made incorrect assumptions about how to use the library routines. In other situations, developers don't choose the right algorithm or use the algorithm incorrectly. For example, an encryption scheme may protect the confidentiality of data, but may not protect against malicious modifications to the data. As another example, if an algorithm requires an initialization vector (IV), then choosing an IV with certain properties may be required for the algorithm to work securely. Understanding the nuances of algorithm and library usage is a core skill for applied cryptographers.

Poor key management. When everything else is done correctly, the security of the cryptographic system still hinges on the protection of the cryptographic keys. Key management mistakes are common, and include hard-coding keys into software (often observed in embedded devices and application software), failure to allow for the revocation and/or rotation of keys, use of cryptographic keys that are weak (e.g., keys that are too short or that are predictable), and weak key distribution mechanisms.

Randomness that is not random. Confusion between statistical randomness and cryptographic randomness is common. Cryptographic operations require random numbers that have strong security properties. In addition to obtaining numbers with strong cryptographic randomness properties, care must be taken not to re-use the random numbers.

Failure to centralize cryptography.Numerous situations have been observed in which different teams within an organization each implemented their own cryptographic routines. Cryptographic algorithms often don't interact nicely. Best practices indicate getting it "right" once and reusing the component elsewhere.

Failure to allow for algorithm adaptation and evolution. See Bullet "Design for changes in the security properties of components beyond your control" in "Be flexible when considering future changes to objects and actors" section.

Cryptography is so hard to get right that it alwaysmakes sense to work with an expert if you can. Note that expertise in applied cryptography is not the same as being a mathematician and having a mathematical understanding of cryptography. At the highest level, make use of proven algorithms and libraries, but realize that just the use of such things does not guarantee security - it is easy to accidentally misuse these things. Have a cryptography expert work with your designers to provide an API abstraction around a strong library, so that that your developers are not making decisions on algorithms and cipher modes, and so that if you need to change algorithms behind that abstraction layer you can.

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Cryptography is one of the most important tools for building secure systems. Through the proper use of cryptography, one can ensure the confidentiality of data, protect data from unauthorized modification, and authenticate the source of data. Cryptography can also enable many other security goals as well. Cryptography, however, is not a panacea.

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Symmetric key encryption is part of virtually everything you do online. We'll break down everything you need to know about what it is and how and where you're using it...

Although you may not realize it, symmetric encryption is in use just about everywhere you look. It's part of what makes it possible to do everything from secure online banking to ordering your groceries for delivery.

But what is symmetric key encryption? If you peek "under the hood," how does symmetric encryption work? And what role does it play in your daily life online?

Let's hash it out.
Editor's Note: This article is the first in a series of articles on symmetric encryption. Be sure to check out the related articles below:
What Is Symmetric Encryption & What Does It Do? A Definition & Explanation

To put this in the simplest terms possible, symmetric encryption is a type of encryption that uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt data. Both the sender and the recipient have identical copies of the key, which they keep secret and don't share with anyone. This differs from asymmetric encryption, which uses two keys - a public key (that anyone can access) to encrypt information and a private key to decrypt information.

Just in case it's helpful, let's do a quick review of how encryption works in general:

1. The sender uses an encryption key (usually a string of letters and numbers) to encrypt their message.

2. The encrypted message, called ciphertext, looks like scrambled letters and can't be read by anyone along the way.

3. The recipient uses a decryption key to transform the ciphertext back into readable text.

This is an example of using AES 128 encryption.

In the example above, we used the same key for encryption and decryption, which means this is symmetric encryption.

Only these two parties (sender and recipient) can read and access the data. This is why it's also sometimes called secret key encryption, secret key cryptography, private key cryptography, symmetric cryptography and symmetric key encryption.

How does symmetric key encryption work? This simplified graphic illustrates the basic concept of how symmetric key encryption works: two identical keys encrypt and decrypt data.

Having only one key to serve both the encryption and decryption functions simplifies the encryption process. After all, you're applying one key to turn plaintext, readable information into unreadable gibberish (ciphertext) and vice versa. One of the advantages of using symmetric encryption is that it provides data privacy and confidentiality without the extra complexity of multiple keys.

Symmetric key encryption does work on its own, for certain use cases. For example, it's useful for encrypting databases and files, where you're not exchanging data publicly between parties. But as with any technical process, there are other advantages and disadvantages of using symmetric key encryption, such as key distribution and management issues, and we'll talk about those a little later. But for now, let's talk about the history of symmetric encryption.

Symmetric Key Encryption Isn't a New Concept

While symmetric key encryption in the sense of encoding digital data through the use of computers is relatively new (it's been around since the mid-1900s), the concept behind isn't. Symmetric cryptography itself is a process that's thought to have been created thousands of years ago.

An early example of symmetric encryption - and probably the best-known symmetric cipher - is attributed to the Roman General Julius Caesar. This particular cipher is aptly known as the Caesar Cipher (more on that in a couple of minutes). However, there have been other types of symmetric ciphers that have existed throughout history, including everything from the Vigenère Cipher - which dates back to the 1500s - to the modern AES algorithm (more on that later).

Symmetric key encryption is a way for you to encrypt a message so that only you and your intended recipient can read it. It's one type of data encryption, but it's not the only one. There's also another type of encryption that's close in name but is different in terms of what it does: asymmetric encryption. We mentioned it earlier, but just know that asymmetric encryption is what makes it possible to authenticate and exchange symmetric keys via public channels (such as the internet).

However, we aren't going to hash out all of the specifics of asymmetric encryption here. That's a topic for another time. In the meantime, though, we invite you to check out this article on the differences between asymmetric vs symmetric encryption to learn more about the topic.

So, for now, let's stay the course and continue our journey of exploring the world of symmetric encryption.

How Does Symmetric Encryption Work?

It's time to take a closer look at the symmetric encryption process. To understand how symmetric cryptography works, you need to know what the components are that are involved in the process:

Your original message that you wish to encrypt (plaintext data).

A symmetric key encryption algorithm (we'll touch on the different types of algorithms a bit later).

An identical secret key that only you and your intended recipient have that encrypts and decrypts the data.

The encrypted message that no one can read (cipher text).

The way that symmetric encryption works is by encrypting and decrypting data through the use of identical keys. The data, once encrypted into ciphertext, can't be read or otherwise understood by anyone who doesn't have the key. This means that you and the party you're communicating with both need to have an identical copy of the key to communicate securely.

To better understand how symmetric encryption works and how all of these components work together, let's consider a basic type of symmetric encryption known as the Caesar cipher.

How a Basic Shift Cipher (Substitution Cipher) Works

An easy way to think of this is to think of this encryption process is through the use of a Caesar cipher, or what's known as a substitution or shift cipher. This was a method by which Caesar was able to secretly communicate with his generals without anyone being able to read the messages (even if the message carriers were intercepted).

In this case, a cipher, also known as an algorithm, is a number or sequence of steps that you'd use to convert plain text information into unreadable ciphertext. With a basic shift cipher, you can encrypt and decrypt a message simply by shifting the message along the alphabet a set number of spaces.

An illustration of how a shift cipher works

Imagine writing out the entire alphabet in a single long line. And when you use the shift cipher, you'd shift any given letter X number of spaces. So, if you were to shift the letter "G" by nine spaces, it would become "P." The letter "O" would become "X." This means that the message "Good morning, sunshine," for example, then becomes "Pxxm vxawrwp bdwbqrwn" when you shift each letter nine spaces to the right.

So, the key in a Caesar cipher is the secret value that only you and your recipient know, which tells you how many letters to shift.

Nowadays, however, we're not passing paper messages back and forth. Today's information exchanges take place through virtual channels via computers, websites, and the internet in general. And while the internet makes things incredibly convenient, banking online or paying for a rideshare over the internet doesn't come without its risks.

The Role of Symmetric Key Encryption in Website Security

Symmetric key encryption is part of the public key infrastructure (PKI) ecosystem, which makes it possible to communicate securely across the insecure internet by converting plain text (readable) data into unrecognizable ciphertext. In fact, you're using PKI-based technologies and processes right now as part of your connection to TheSSLStore.com to read this article.

A screenshot of the padlock icon in a browser's URL bar (when using Google Chrome).

See that padlock in your browser's URL bar? It means that our website has a website security certificate (SSL/TLS certificate) installed and you're using a secure, encrypted connection to send data. This is what helps to make it possible to connect to our website using the secure HTTPS protocol instead of the insecure HTTP one.

What this also means is that your browser (client) has already gone through the process of:

Authenticating our website's server,

Negotiating with the server on the encryption algorithms to use, and

Generating symmetric session keys.

The way that HTTPS works is that we use asymmetric encryption to first authenticate the website server and to exchange symmetric session keys. This is part of a process known as the TLS handshake - of which there are three versions (TLS 1.0, TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3). After that, we use symmetric encryption for the actual bulk of the data encryption that takes place during your session.

In general, the TLS handshake:

Enables our web server to authenticate itself to your browser (web client),

Establishes parameters to use for secure communication (such deciding which encryption algorithm to use),

Determines which key exchange protocol to use, and

Generates a session key that only the two communicating parties know using that algorithm and other public and private variables.

The reason for the change to symmetric encryption is that it's faster and less resource-intensive than asymmetric encryption when you're encrypting massive quantities of data. This is particularly important for enterprises who encrypt data at scale. (Think of banks and large companies.)

We won't get into all of the specifics of the handshake here - you'll find a deep dive on that topic in our article on the TLS handshake. But let's explore a few of the encryption algorithms that fall under the symmetric encryption umbrella.

Symmetric Encryption Algorithms

Symmetric algorithms are broken down into two main types: stream and block ciphers. Block ciphers encrypt data in chunks (blocks), whereas stream ciphers encrypt data one bit at a time. So, what are some of the most commonly used or well-known symmetric algorithms?

Data Encryption Standard (DES) - DES is a type of block cipher that encrypts data in 64-bit blocks and using a single key that is one of three sizes (64-bit, 128-bit and 192-bit keys). However, one of every 8 bits is a parity bit, meaning that a single-length key that's 64 bits is really like using a 56-bit key. Although DES is one of the earliest symmetric encryption algorithms, it's viewed as insecure and has been deprecated.

Triple Data Encryption Standard (TDEA/3DES) - Unlike DES, triple DES can use two or three keys, which enables this algorithm to use multiple rounds of encryption (or, more accurate, a round of encryption, round of decryption, and another round of encryption). While 3DES is more secure than its DES predecessor, it's not as secure as its successor, AES.

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) - This encryption algorithm is what you'll most commonly find is use across the internet. The advanced encryption standard is more secure and efficient than DES and 3DES with key options that are 128 bits, 192 bits and 256 bits. However, while it's also a type of block cipher, it operates differently than DES and 3DES because it's based on a substitution-permutation network instead of the Feistel cipher.

Of course, we're going to cover these three symmetric key algorithms - along with the differences between block and stream ciphers - in the coming weeks in additional articles. But for now, let's move on to discussing the "secret" in secret key encryption.

For Symmetric Encryption to Work, the Key Must Stay Secret...

For symmetric encryption to work, however, it means that you and your intended recipient both must know the key and keep it secret. Otherwise, if someone else knows the key, then they can decrypt your data and read it, which makes the entire encryption process pointless. That's why it's vital to keep the secret key secret and away from prying eyes to limit the number of people who have the key.

As such, you should never store secret or private keys in any internet-facing environment. This is true for both asymmetric encryption private keys as well as symmetric keys. You need to keep those keys hidden somewhere where no one is going to be able to find, access, or steal them. Basically, protect those keys like you would a lifetime paid subscription that someone gave you to your favorite gaming service - 'cause I know that no one's getting their hands on that.

But the tricky part with symmetric encryption is that there's an assumption that you and your recipient both already have identical copies of the key. But what do you do if you and your recipient have never met, and if you don't already have those identical keys?

Let's say that you want to share secret messages with your friend, Erica, who's in another country but she doesn't have a key to decrypt said messages. This means you'd need to get a shared key to her so that she can securely decrypt the message.

To do this, you'd have to send the secret key across the internet - which you know is anything but secure. After all, your internet connection gets bounced through potentially dozens of different touchpoints in its journey. This means that any Tom, Dick or Harry - any cybercriminal, government, or anyone else you don't want reading your messages - could intercept the key en route and decrypt your messages with ease, and you'd be none the wiser. This is known as a man-in-the-middle attack (MitM).

So, sending data (especially keys) across the internet isn't a good idea, which means we need to look at an alternative method. This is where asymmetric tactics - such as asymmetric key exchange (i.e. key generation) methods like RSA and Diffie-Hellman - come into play.

The Role of Key Exchange Protocols

Earlier, we touched on the fact that symmetric encryption algorithms aren't the only algorithms out there that PKI depends upon. There are also asymmetric algorithms and asymmetric key exchange protocols. So, if you're trying to communicate securely with your friend Erica using symmetric key cryptography, you'll use asymmetric encryption tactics to generate and share a secure key that only you and Erica will know.

Historically, symmetric encryption is paired with either RSA or Diffie-Hellman asymmetric algorithms (i.e., key exchange protocols) for the key exchange/generation process. However, these two algorithms have separate roles.

RSA vs Diffie-Hellman Key Exchanges

The RSA encryption algorithm, which stands for Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (the surnames of the three people who created it), is an authentication and key exchange mechanism that's commonly used in the TLS 1.2 handshake process. In an RSA key exchange, public key encryption facilitates the exchange of a pre-master secret and a randomly generate number from the client that, together, generate a shared session key.

With the Diffie-Hellman key exchange, the server and client instead mutually agree upon a value that's used for the session key. (More on that shortly.)

However, the use of RSA for key exchanges is frowned upon (although some systems are still using it) due to vulnerabilities that were discovered by cryptologist Daniel Bleichenbacher. In fact, the RSA key exchange cipher suites (and non-ephemeral Diffie-Hellman groups) were deprecated with the rollout of TLS 1.3 in an effort to mandate perfect forward secrecy (which uses an ephemeral key). So, RSA key exchange was replaced by the exclusive use of ephemeral Diffie-Hellman key exchanges.

The Diffie-Hellman key exchange algorithm is a public key distribution system that uses modular arithmetic to come to an agreed upon secret number (session key). So, as you can see, calling Diffie-Hellman an "encryption" algorithm is actually misleading because it can't be used to encrypt or decrypt anything. And it's not so much a key "exchange" as it is a key generation process. Yes, there are variables exchanged, but you're still actually creating the key based on those exchanges.

Diffie-Hellman uses the exchange of public variables (numbers) to generate a shared solution known as a session key. This secret session key is what you'd use to exchange data in a secure channel that's protected by symmetric encryption.

Check out this great video to see how the Diffie-Hellman key exchange process works using colors:

How Secure Are Symmetric Keys?

The strength of any cryptographic key depends on a few specific considerations.

The length of the key,

The randomness (entropy) of how it was generated, and

How long it takes to reverse it to figure out is individual components.

Now, you may be wondering whether a cybercriminal could just reverse the process to guess the variables to calculate the numbers that were used. It's possible, but the reality of that happening is so remote that it's not practical. I say that because even though cybercriminals understand how these calculations work, it's incredibly difficult to reverse the process to find out the secret number you or your recipient used to generate your matching session keys.

It goes back to the concept that was discussed in the video that shows the uses of mixing of specific colors to create a shared value. While it's easy to combine colors to create the shared value, it's virtually impossible to deconstruct those values to figure out exactly which shades of the colors were used to create them.

Furthermore, since the numbers that are used in these calculations are massive, it would take way longer than any cybercriminal would have during a session to figure them out. Even with the most current supercomputers, an attacker would have to spend hundreds - if not thousands of years - trying to figure out the individual numbers you both used. I don't know about you, but we mortals don't have that much time to spend on such tasks.

So, now that we know what symmetric encryption is and how it works, how is it used in the real world?

Examples of Where You're Already Using Symmetric Encryption

Symmetric encryption is useful in many cases and has implementation opportunities across various industries. For example, symmetric encryption is useful for encrypting banking-related data as well as data storage.

Banking

Ever heard of PCI DSS? The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards is a set of 12 requirements that businesses or organizations that accept credit card payments must adhere to. Symmetric encryption is a key component of PCI compliance, as it directly correlates to requirement No. 3, which focuses on protecting at-rest cardholder data.

This different from requirement No. 4, which focuses on protecting in-transit data. That's all about using asymmetric encryption (basically, the SSL/TLS and HTTPS we were talking about earlier).

Data At Rest

Data at rest refers to the state of your data while it's sitting on a server or a device. It's not in transit, meaning that it's not being sent across a network or the internet. So, consider the example of a private ledger or a diary. You write either highly valuable or sensitive information in it that you don't want anyone other people to read. So, while you're not sending it anywhere, it doesn't mean that you want someone else to be able to read its contents should they manage to get their hands on it. At rest data encryption is what prevents that type of exposure from happening.

Wondering what products or services you use that incorporate symmetric encryption into their platforms or tools? Here's just a handful of such services:

CodeGuard - CodeGuard is a website backup tool that uses AES-256 encryption to secure your backups.

Google Suite - Many of Google's G Suite services use at-rest data encryption (in addition to in-transit encryption via HTTPS) to secure your data.

Microsoft Azure - Azure Encryption uses symmetric encryption to encrypt and decrypt lots quantities of data quickly.

SalesForce - The SaleForce Platform uses AES-256 encryption to secure data at rest.

HTTPS and Website Security

We already touched on this earlier. Remember how we talked about how symmetric encryption is a part of the HTTPS process? This is where asymmetric encryption is used to facilitate a key exchange between two parties, and then identical symmetric session keys are what's used to actually process the encryption for the session.

So, this means that symmetric encryption is an integral component of website security.

Final Thoughts on Symmetric Key Encryption

Okay, we've reached the finish line. Needless to say, breaking down what symmetric key cryptography is and how symmetric encryption works is a lot to take in. I hope this article has provided you with insights that will help you better understand the process and its role in cybersecurity.

One quick note: This blog post is the first in a group of articles that we're going to publish in the coming weeks that break down various aspects of symmetric encryption. So, be sure to keep an eye out and check back for those upcoming articles on Hashed Out as well.

Although symmetric cryptography is an old method of encryption, it still holds an invaluable place in our digital world.

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Symmetric Encryption 101: Definition, How It Works & When It's Used

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Although you may not realize it, symmetric encryption is in use just about everywhere you look. It's part of what makes it possible to do everything from secure online banking to ordering your groceries for delivery. But what is symmetric key encryption? If you peek "under the hood," how does symmetric encryption work?

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Your ultimate guide to understanding asymmetric encryption - what it does, how it works, and its strengths and disadvantages

What is asymmetric encryption? How does asymmetric encryption work? These two questions are becoming common as the world is getting more digitized and paperless. But when everything is stored on computers, data privacy becomes a big concern. Hackers can steal stored data from your devices, emails, cloud platforms, and USB drive, or when you transfer it from one place to another via the internet.

One of the best ways to protect the data is to encrypt it. And this is where asymmetric key encryption - or what's also known as public key encryption - comes into play. In this article, we'll cover what asymmetric key encryption is and answer your question "how does asymmetric encryption work?" in layman's terms. Later on, we will also take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of this type of encryption.

What Is Encryption?

Before we can answer the question "what is asymmetric encryption?" we first need to quickly cover what encryption is in general.

In the most basic sense, encryption means using "fancy math" and a set of instructions (algorithms) to disguise and protect data. These algorithms scramble plaintext data into an incomprehensible text known as ciphertext, which looks like gibberish without the use of a special key that decrypts it. This means once the data is encrypted using a cryptographic algorithm, you can't interpret it or guess the original content of the data from the ciphertext. So, your data stays secure from unintended, prying eyes.

Let's consider the following example to see how encryption works in a general sense:

In this example, you can see how the data changes from plaintext to ciphertext and back to plaintext through the use of encryption algorithms and decryption keys. The keys can either be identical (symmetric) or unique (asymmetric).

When we talk about encryption, it's much like a lock on a door. To operate the lock, you need a key. This means only people who hold the key can unlock the door and gain access to whatever it's protecting. In the digital world, a key can come in many forms - a password, code, PIN, or a complex string of computer-generated characters.

An Overview of the Two Types of Encryption

There are two main types of encryption:

1) Symmetric encryption: This type of encryption is reciprocal, meaning that the same key is used to encrypt and decrypt data. This is great for large batches of data but has issues in terms of key distribution and management.

2) Asymmetric encryption: This type of encryption uses two separate keys for encryption and decryption - a public key and a private key. We'll cover asymmetric key encryption in more detail momentarily.

For the purpose of this article, we're going to focus solely on asymmetric encryption. Be sure to check back over the coming weeks for another article that will focus on symmetric encryption. We do, however, have an article already that will help you differentiate asymmetric encryption vs symmetric encryption in the meantime.

Now, let's talk about what you're really here for...

What Is Asymmetric Encryption? A Definition and Explanation

Asymmetric encryption is a type of encryption that uses two separates yet mathematically related keys to encrypt and decrypt data. The public key encrypts data while its corresponding private key decrypts it. This is why it's also known as public key encryption, public key cryptography, and asymmetric key encryption.

The public key is open to everyone. Anyone can access it and encrypt data with it. However, once encrypted, that data can only be unlocked by using the corresponding private key. As you can imagine, the private key must be kept secret to keep it from becoming compromised. So, only the authorized person, server, machine, or instrument has access to the private key.

What Does Asymmetric Encryption Do?

Asymmetric encryption is a way for you to verify third parties that you've never met via public channels that are insecure. Unlike traditional (symmetric) encryption methods, which rely on one key to encrypt and decrypt data, asymmetric key encryption uses two separate keys to perform these functions.

This is why public key encryption is considered a critical element in the foundation of internet security. Public key infrastructure (PKI), a framework of policies, processes and technologies that make secure third-party communications over the internet possible. To do this, it relies on both asymmetric and symmetric encryption.

Asymmetric encryption methods are what you use to:

Authenticate parties,

Verify data integrity, and

Exchange symmetric keys.

Symmetric encryption is what you use to handle the bulk of data encryption.

What you may not realize is that you're actually using public key encryption right now! Do you see the security padlock icon in your browser or the HTTPS in the website URL? Both of those things indicate you've connected to a website that uses SSL/TLS certificates and the secure TLS protocol. What this does is use asymmetric key encryption to verify the identity of the server and to create symmetric session keys. (Once this is done, your browser and the web server switch to using symmetric encryption for the rest of the session.)

So, as you can see, asymmetric encryption is complementary to symmetric encryption and is what makes it possible to use over the internet.

Four Main Characteristics of Asymmetric Encryption

1. Asymmetric Encryption Is Designed for Securing Data & Key Exchanges in Public Channels

In a nutshell, the purpose of asymmetric key encryption is to serve as a way to securely encrypt data in public channels while also offering authentication and data integrity. Because it doesn't require the exchange of keys, there isn't a key distribution issue that you'd otherwise have with symmetric encryption.

2. Asymmetric Encryption Keys Are Large

Asymmetric public and private keys are unique and large strings of random numbers. For example, there are millions of websites using SSL/TLS certificates, and yet, each website has a different set of public and private keys. For keys to be strong and secure, however, they must be generated with high entropy (randomness). Each key has to be random and unpredictable enough that it would take modern supercomputers thousands of years to guess.

Let's consider the following examples of asymmetric public and private keys:

-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY----- MIIBITANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ4AMIIBCQKCAQBukNqMp3/zrntpyRhCwYxe 9IU3yS+SJskcIyNDs0pEXjWlctfSNEwmeEKG3944dsBTNdkb6GSF6EoaUe5CGXFA y/eTmFjjx/qRoiOqPMUmMwHu0SZX6YsMQGM9dfuFBaNQwd6XyWufscOOnKPF5EkD 5rLiSNEqQEnoUvJb1LHiv/E36vi6cNc5uCImZ4vgNIHwtKfkn1Y+tv/EMZ1dZyXw NN7577WdzH6ng4DMf5JWzUfkFIHqA2fcSGaWTXdoQFt6DnbqaO5c2kXFju5R50Vq wl+7S46L4TYFcMNDeGW6iAFds+SMADG486X/CRBTtF4x59NU3vNoGhplLRLtyC4N AgMBAAE= -----END PUBLIC KEY-----

-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- MIIEoQIBAAKCAQBukNqMp3/zrntpyRhCwYxe9IU3yS+SJskcIyNDs0pEXjWlctfS NEwmeEKG3944dsBTNdkb6GSF6EoaUe5CGXFAy/eTmFjjx/qRoiOqPMUmMwHu0SZX 6YsMQGM9dfuFBaNQwd6XyWufscOOnKPF5EkD5rLiSNEqQEnoUvJb1LHiv/E36vi6 cNc5uCImZ4vgNIHwtKfkn1Y+tv/EMZ1dZyXwNN7577WdzH6ng4DMf5JWzUfkFIHq A2fcSGaWTXdoQFt6DnbqaO5c2kXFju5R50Vqwl+7S46L4TYFcMNDeGW6iAFds+SM ADG486X/CRBTtF4x59NU3vNoGhplLRLtyC4NAgMBAAECggEALFprcZUX3PcXht4m n1DpMIZCkphgPu7UKjdmRBg+KKLqPk6NiUN1cNE5TsWrbVcl27t0Np/JA3alk11e iKGQLwAjds/ciLOGLrmuOPJb2/EGS3kXOpjzMJz7soILvdb/Jrw+wQEJ7WvwGNt5 Tz8+kxQOmnu/fIWBoHL1yiTOnzj8rOrJfGjwCWe4skeiTNVXoJ3oTyUp8vLlkeBb YVOKaHtRVzE4qre6Jy0LelIu8OScpVBz6U9RW8p84eRuH28k6VVAMVd7ruSH0gLu vcXjXnt6eLRka3Ww4KwA9ATD0oT0270FqebKmorvBv+DmWEjTTkSMfJz2wYN5Dcj 6lg1+QKBgQC6KDBR31573gU9SiilNFGaKL0qB1NbLnj2TL+964LB/bv+25AUKdcH jJaE41kZWmxonLbxJI4ACTZd/9vXpAPOe1Wwp3r3kEyQsyARYFD7Pdai0DhsS9Mj Y/hSL0i1cxE6EXY60cXzW4rrI1r7Nd6VCUlGpsOLVfaFR3xByA9JgwKBgQCYDF16 ornljNE8NMG6ojrtpL2pPqNuw4qMrqNOzne90w/ALK6pdTOQFToyRZoQfdVqY9jK u0LceC6E37w7pX4UwE1zrmprWpBUWnvJhSnDcXcDtVqipqERQ5KPu3/eeyStd5L4 PfPbEWID4+6i9uC0ZQwBU3G41tGaWiaZ3NNlLwKBgEjgIspqX1qud+6ecXr7GFb5 S9SAOamgb8o8EXQQFohLBKWo3qaGGp/h8arkNaUvOPFbKGMOpGhvMtFpsG6izrqu ncUiS4lO/CpJdWxYAFvawYPLb8s1g9p+8F98E0K1YTESVO6B4LR8Sc3zcVKWrCQ8 FmuKLVMGvBNBAOvfndxxAoGAWebFxuM8g2vVs4GGIrIVobnMoqt0uuNHopMH4GrY Bhcrsvc4dt3jlQfYFy1sQOAGNhe/cW9zwyQUbWBUzfe2KtLheMriBYPQ3u95Tdg8 r2EBe+HZK17W0XxgxjeZDZVGRIL1FW6cJyWKDL7StOzARCmTBZ2vGhl6aYdwV31o SOUCgYAwKJgVwTlhelBVl07w8BkqKjG+snnHMV3F36qmQ4+GCBBGaeNLU6ceBTvx Cg3wZUiQJnDwpB3LCs47gLO2uXjKh7V452hACGIudYNa8Q/hHoHWeRE6mi7Y0QZp zUKrZqp9pi/oZviMqDX88W06B12C8qFiUltFmhfPLJ9NJ3+ftg== -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----

3. Public Key Encryption Algorithms Are Strong

The popular algorithms for asymmetric encryption and key exchanges are Diffie-Hellman, RSA, ECDSA, ElGamal, and DSA. Although it is not a strict rule, most of the time,asymmetric encryption uses long keys that are 1024 bits, 2048 bits, or more. In general, the longer the key size, more secure the encryption.

For example, if the keys are generated with 2048-bit encryption, there are 2 2048 possible combinations. It would take modern supercomputers thousands of years to go through so many combinations find the corresponding private key of a public key. In short, you can't guess the private key from the public key, especially when keys are long.

4. Asymmetric Encryption Is a Resource-Hogging Process

Those massive keys are resource-intensive and that means encryption takes longer to accomplish. In other words, because the key sizes are larger and two separate keys are involved, the encryption and decryption process become slower.

As such, asymmetric encryption is most suitable for encrypting small chunks of data due to its latency and processing requirements. If you use it for large blocks of data, it will give more burden to your servers. Sometimes, it's used to initially establish secure communication channels, which can they be used to facilitate symmetric encryption to exchange data.

How Does Asymmetric Encryption Work? Let's Explore This Concept with An Example

Before moving on, let's better understand asymmetric encryption with a hypothetical example.

Imagine you want to protect a precious jewelry box that you're sending in the mail to your significant other. To keep it secure in transit, you use a special lock that needs two number combinations. One number can lock the box (the number which you have) and the other number combination can unlock it (which your recipient has).

First, you put the items you wish to protect inside the box. Then you lock the box with a specific number combination before placing it in the mail. Once it arrives, your significant other uses her number combination to unlock the box and access its contents. Because she never shares that number with anyone and keeps it to herself, it means that no one else can use it.

Now, let's apply this concept to understanding how asymmetric encryption works within the realm of public key infrastructure.

All the data you send via the internet is in plaintext. This means that anyone who gets access to it can read and interpret it. Now, of course, you can encrypt the data using a private key. Once the data has been converted into ciphertext, you can't decrypt it using the same key. The ciphertext can be decrypted only with the corresponding private key. In general, the sender must have access to the public key, and the recipient must have its corresponding private key.

How Public Key Encryption Helps You Protect Your Business & Data

Let's take an example of how asymmetric key encryption works in real life.

Digital Signatures Ensure Data Integrity

A digital signature is a mathematical algorithm that's useful for ensuring the authenticity or integrity of documents, emails, or other types of data. What it does it make the recipient of a digitally signed document or email aware of any tampering or unauthorized modifications that may have been made. Digital signatures rely on asymmetric encryption and a cryptographic function known as hashing.

We'll speak more to the specifics of digital signatures and hashing a little later. But for now, just know that asymmetric encryption is used for enabling digital signatures in:

SSL/TLS Certificates Secure Your Website

When a user tries to open your website on the browser (your web client), the browser initiates an SSL/TLS handshake process. This handshake helps to authenticate the server to your client via asymmetric encryption by sending its SSL/TLS certificate and public key. The browser then generates a pre-master secret, encrypts it using the server's certificate public key, and sends it back to the server. The server then decrypts it with its corresponding private key. Together, the two parties then generate the master secret (a shared secret) and identical session keys.

The session keys are symmetric and are what the client and server use for all data exchanges for that particular session. No intruder can decrypt or guess the session key while it is in transit between the browser and the server. This helps to protect your data from being intercepted and read in man-in-the-middle attacks (also known as MitM attacks). So, the process starts out with asymmetric encryption and changes to symmetric encryption for the bulk of the data exchange.

This is a screenshot that demonstrates that we use an extended validation (EV) SSL/TLS certificate to secure SectigoStore.com.

Personal Authentication Certificates Offer Client Authentication & Email Security

A personal authentication certificate, which is also known as a client certificate, authenticates users within an organizational setup. Using these types of certificates enable you to restrict access to sensitive data or systems to only select individuals. Companies install these certs on end user devices as a means of access control and passwordless authentication. Employees can access those resources only when they log in from the office device that has the certificate.

Some resources, email clients, and websites (such as intranet sites, development and testing sites, or even the admin pages of the public-facing sites) are intended for only employees to use. And it's always a good practice to restrict outsiders' access to these web pages. That's where a personal authentication certificate and asymmetric encryption come in handy.

The Advantages & Disadvantages of Asymmetric Encryption

In this section, we'll highlight some of the pros and cons of asymmetric key encryption with comparison to symmetric encryption. But if you want a detailed comparison, please refer to this article: Difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption.

Four Advantages of Asymmetric Encryption

1. It's More Secure Than Symmetric Encryption

Because it involves the use of two related but distinct keys, asymmetric cryptography is more secure than its symmetric counterpart. This is, in part, because asymmetric encryption uses longer keys (1028 bits, 2048 bit, 4096 bit, etc.), whereas symmetric encryption uses shorter keys (128 bits, 256 bits, etc.)

2. It's Useful When More Endpoints Are Involved

In symmetric encryption, only one key is shared by all endpoints. This means the onus of its success is dependent upon the secrecy of that key. When a large number of endpoints share the same key, the chances of exposure increases.

But in asymmetric encryption, the private key is stored with only the authorized recipient. When one endpoint is holding the private key instead of multiple, the chances of compromise reduces dramatically. That's why asymmetric key encryption works best when a large number of endpoints are involved.

3. Makes Key Distribution Easy

In asymmetric encryption, you can distribute the public key to a large number of endpoints because you don't have to worry about its security.

Whereas in the symmetric encryption, you must distribute the key very cautiously. When there are millions of servers and devices involved, the key distribution becomes very challenging in symmetric encryption, and the chances of compromise increases.

4. Makes Digital Signatures Possible

Asymmetric encryption is integral to the entire concept of digital signatures and how they work. When people talk about digitally signing a document, what they mean is that they're actually applying a hash (a fixed-length piece of data that serves as a one-way cryptographic function) to it that serves as a check-sum. Basically, this helps the recipient know whether the document has been modified or altered since it was signed originally. Digital signatures use asymmetric key encryption to make this happen.

Here, the sender applies a hash as a check-sum and by signing that hash with their private key to encrypt it. The recipient can decrypt the digital signature and perform the same function to check the hash value using the sender's public key.

Two Disadvantages of Asymmetric Encryption

1. Slower Speed

Because the keys are longer and the server needs to calculate two different keys for encryption and decryption, it becomes a time-consuming process. It also uses more complex algorithms. These are a couple of the reasons why asymmetric key encryption is slower than symmetric encryption.

2. It's Too Bulky to Be Used at Scale

Because of the two separate long encryption keys, it places an immense burden on the server to go through the encryption and decryption process. You can't use asymmetric encryption where there is a huge quantity of data involved; otherwise, the servers get exhausted and become slow.

This is why, for example, asymmetric key encryption is used initially in the SSL/TLS handshake process but then it switches over to symmetric encryption for the data exchange that will take place between a user's browser and a website during their session.

Wrapping Up on Asymmetric Encryption

Asymmetric encryption and its algorithms aren't perfect, but they're still incredibly effective at helping us to establish secure communications with third parties via public channels. And that's why some types of certificates use a hybrid approach in which they use both the types of encryption simultaneously. For example, in the SSL/TLS certificate, all the data transmission is done using symmetric encryption. But to transmit the symmetric key, asymmetric encryption is used.

In conclusion, we just want to say that asymmetric encryption is perfect for transmitting small chunks of data to a large number of endpoints. It is the main ingredient of digital signatures and way more secure than symmetric encryption.

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What Is Asymmetric Encryption & How Does It Work? - InfoSec Insights

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What is asymmetric encryption? How does asymmetric encryption work? These two questions are becoming common as the world is getting more digitized and paperless. But when everything is stored on computers, data privacy becomes a big concern.

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Cryptography, at its most fundamental level, requires two steps: encryption and decryption. The encryption process uses a cipher in order to encrypt plaintext and turn it into ciphertext. Decryption, on the other hand, applies that same cipher to turn the ciphertext back into plaintext.

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How Cryptography relates to CyberSecurity

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How Cryptography relates to CyberSecurity

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Cryptography is one of the most important tools for building secure systems. Through the proper use of cryptography, one can ensure the confidentiality of data, protect data from unauthorized modification, and authenticate the source of data. The CIA triad can be implemented using Cryptography