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Asymmetric encryption (also known as public-key encryption) is a type of encryption that uses a pair of keys, a public key and a private key, for encryption and decryption.
In asymmetric encryption, the public key is used to encrypt the data, and the private key is used to decrypt it. The public key can be shared with anyone, while the private key must be kept secret and is only known to the owner.
The keys in an asymmetric encryption system are mathematically related, but it is computationally infeasible to determine the private key based on the public key. This means that the data encrypted using the public key can only be decrypted using the corresponding private key.
Asymmetric encryption is commonly used for secure communication over the Internet, as it allows users to exchange encrypted messages without having to share a secret key. It is also used for other applications, such as digital signatures and key exchange.
Examples of popular asymmetric encryption algorithms include RSA, DSA, and ECDSA. These algorithms are widely used in various applications, including secure web communication (HTTPS), email encryption, and secure file transfer.