Both of these are pretty common terms used in the arena of decryption and encryption. These help in encrypting and decrypting sensitive information and crucial data.
Cryptography is a process in which we get to write and store secret data with the intention of keeping it confidential. Cryptography has some major classifications- hashing, symmetric, and asymmetric cryptography. There is a major difference between public key and private key, and in this article, we will discuss the same. But let us first know a bit more about both.
What is a Private Key?
This type of key lets a user encrypt as well as decrypt the available data. The private key gets shared between the receiver and the sender of the sensitive, encrypted information. This type of key is also known as the symmetric one. It is because it stays common for the parties at both ends. In simpler words, the other party copies or shares the same encryption key for decrypting the ciphertext.
Also, this mechanism is much faster as compared to that of public-key cryptography. In the case of a private key, we use the same key for decryption as well as encryption.
What is a Public Key?
This type of key helps a user encrypt the available data while the private key decrypts it. In simpler words, a user can encrypt data using a single key (public). Then the receiver uses a private key for the process of decryption of ciphertext for reading the message. The public key is also known as asymmetric cryptography.
Difference Between Private Key and Public Key
Here is a list of the differences between Private Key and Public Key.
| Parameters | Private Key | Public Key |
| Algorithm Used | We use a private key for both- encryption and decryption of the available data. Thus, this type of key gets shared between the receiver and the sender. | We only use a public key to encrypt data, and we need to use a shared private key for decrypting it. |
| Overall Performance | The mechanism here is much faster. | The mechanism used here is much slower. |
| Type of Key | This mechanism is symmetric in nature because a single key gets shared between both the parties of senders and receivers. | It is asymmetric in nature because a user needs two separate types of keys for the process of encryption and decryption. |
| Secret | We keep a private key secret from the users, and only the senders and receivers can access it. | The public key stays free to access and use by the public. Only the receiver and sender own the private key to decrypt it. |
| Sharing | One needs to share a private key between both the parties- senders and receivers. | Anyone can use the public key, but they will need a private key during decryption. |
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