How does Asymmetrical Encryption Work??

[gumbob3]

It doesn't make sense as to how one key can encrypt, and another will decrypt. Won't the decryption key always be the opposite of the encryption key?

 

[Eximo]

It depends on the exact algorithm used for encryption, but a decryption does not have to be identical to the encryption (though that is a poor way to say it)

But what I think you are referring to are the common public/private key exchanges that take place between individuals, CA, and servers, etc.

Basically you make an encryption with more than one answer, but only give one answer to a second party. As long as the originating party keeps their half 'private' you always know messages, or what have you, come from them.

 

[COLGeek]

See here for more background info. PKI is an excellent example of asymmetric cryptography.


https/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-key_cryptography

 

[grmnlxndr]

Basically it uses 2 prime numbers in order to generate big numbers that are difficult to factorize. It uses the mathematical "features" that prime numbers have in order to obtain the 2 keys. The exact functionality is a bit difficult to explain, but you can see here at this wikipedia entry for RSA (an asymmetrical encryption algorithm):

https/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSA_(cryptosystem)

Regards

 

[Shoomer]

Asymmetrical Encryption has two 'keys' and one 'lock' One key is 'private' the other 'key' is public. In simple terms the public key is linked to a private key. You can't decode without both.