public key cryptography

Noun

Meaning

public key cryptography (uncountable)

The subfield of cryptography in which all information used to encode a message is assumed to be publicly available.

public-key cryptography (uncountable)

A form of cryptography which allows users to communicate securely without previously agreeing on a shared secret key (abbreviation PKC)

Alternative names

public-key cryptography

Synonyms

Examples

I understood the importance in principle of public key cryptography but it's all moved much faster than I expected. I did not expect it to be a mainstay of advanced communications technology. Whitfield Diffie

Close letter words and terms