Public Key Cryptography

The concern for secure communications has moved cryptology from an arcane science, best known to the military and diplomatic services, to an integral component for business and personal communications. Public key cryptography, developed within the last two decades for commercial use, has become an exciting technology for the communications industry, as wired and wireless voice, data, and image networks continue to proliferate and interconnect. Public key cryptography helps provide secure communications, at reasonable costs, for general communications. It solves several important technical problems, especially those of key management and digital signatures, that are vital for information processing, but it also presents some drawbacks. This article explains public key cryptography, its benefits and limitations.