Võtmepaarile

Võtmepaarile refers to the concept of a key pair in cryptography. A key pair consists of two distinct but mathematically related keys: a public key and a private key. These keys are fundamental to asymmetric cryptography, also known as public-key cryptography.

The public key can be freely shared with anyone. It is used to encrypt data or to verify a digital signature. Data encrypted with a public key can only be decrypted with the corresponding private key. Similarly, a digital signature created with a private key can be verified by anyone using the corresponding public key.

The private key, in contrast, must be kept secret and secure by its owner. It is used to decrypt data that was encrypted with the corresponding public key, and to create digital signatures. The security of the entire system relies on the private key remaining confidential.

The mathematical relationship between the public and private keys ensures that it is computationally infeasible to derive the private key from the public key. This asymmetry is what gives public-key cryptography its power and flexibility, enabling secure communication and authentication over insecure channels without prior establishment of a shared secret. Common applications include secure email (PGP/GPG), secure web browsing (TLS/SSL), and digital currencies.