How does Asymmetrical Encryption Work??

gumbob3

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Mar 5, 2016
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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

Distinguished
Herald
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.
 

grmnlxndr

Honorable
May 17, 2012
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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

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Oct 8, 2016
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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.