In computer security, a key that is made available to everyone. Contrast with private key.

In encrypting a two-key system the key used to lock data is made public, so that everyone can "lock". A second private key is used to unlock or decrypt the data.

The key used in PKI to verify a Digital Signature or decrypt data or messages to the holder of the Private Key.

One of two keys used in public key cryptography. The public key can be known to anyone and is used to verify signatures and encrypt messages.

One member of a key pair used in an asymmetric algorithm. A public key allows entities to encrypt data that can only then be decrypted with the public key's owner using the corresponding private key. A public key can also be used to verify digital signatures created with the corresponding private key.

The key of a public key pair that is only published widely.

public key - One of two keys in public key encryption. The user releases this key to the public, who can use it to encrypt messages to be sent to the user and to verify the users digital signature. Compare with private key.

Often called the encryption key.

A mathematically-derived code provided by a certificate authority. The public key is stored in the digital certificate and can be combined with the private key to encrypt and decrypt messages (also see PKI and Digital Signature Fact Sheet).

The key used in public key cryptography that belongs to an individual entity and is distributed publicly. Other entities use this key to encrypt data to be sent to the owner of the key.

The mathematical value of an asymmetric key pair that is shared with trading partners. The public key works in conjunction with the private key to encrypt and decrypt data. For example, when the public key is used to encrypt data, only the private key can successfully decrypt that data.

An encryption key used in asymmetric encryption, which allows both decryption and creation of digital signatures. A public key is known to everyone in public key cryptography system and is used in conjunction with a private key.

The key that a user allows the world to know in asymmetric encryption. It can encrypt or decrypt data for a single transaction but cannot do both.

The public half of a public key pair. See public key cryptography.

The key of a key pair used to verify a digital signature and listed in the Digital Signature Certificate.

The key that is open to all authorized senders for secure encryption of messages to be sent to the receiver who holds the counterpart private key.

a key in an asymmetric algorithm that is publicly available

a cryptographic key (one part of a public-private key pair) used to facilitate document/email encryption and document signing

a key that a server or client publishes for use by other servers or clients

a key that you may reveal to others

a key used for encrypting or decrypting information

an encryption key that you make available to anyone who wants to send you encrypted e-mail

a numeric code which enables encryption of messages sent to the holder of the corresponding unique private key

a point Q (a string can easily be hashed to a point on an elliptic curve) and the corresponding private key is the point xQ

a publically distributed key, used in Asymmetric Encryption

a small data file that you give to others so they can send you encrypted messages

a value provided by some designated authority as a key that, combined with a private key, can be used to effectively encrypt and decrypt messages and digital signatures

A public key can be made available to the public, unlike a private key, which is not shared. Public and private keys are related to each other, such that when a message is encrypted with one, it must be decrypted with the other.

In asymmetric cryptography, the public key is they key that is made available for others to use to encrypt information. The owner of the associated private key is the only person that can decrypt the information.

Key used in public key crypto that belongs to an individual entity and is distributed publicly. Others can use the public key to encrypt data that only the key's owner can decrypt.

The published part of a two-part (public key/private key) cryptography system.

One of two keys (private and public) in a Public Key Cryptography system, the public key is a published, or publicly available, key used to encrypt the message. The message can only be decrypted using the matching private key. The public key is stored in a Digital Certificate, signed by a Certificate Authority, which verifies the identity of the sender.

The key used in an asymmetric cryptosystem that is publicly available.

The element of a public/private key pair that can be known by anyone. The public key is used to encrypt information that is to be intelligible only to the holder of the corresponding private key. It is also used to decrypt a digital signature in order to compare the decrypted digital signature and the hashed value of the signed document.

A unique electronic value made available to those who need to verify the authenticity of a document and/or an electronic signature. The public key corresponds to a particular private key, and the public key is needed to decrypt information encrypted by the private key.

A Public Key is (1) the key of a signature key pair used to validate a digital signature or (2) the key of an encryption key pair used to encrypt confidential information. In both cases, this key is made publicly available.

a key released to the public which is paired with a private key, in public key encryption. Either key can encrypt data, the corresponding key is required to decrypt data.

A method of encrypting electronic data. Developed to account for weaknesses in symmetric encryption, public key encryption does not require the transmission of decoding keys themselves. Real-time The verification and processing of credit card transactions immediately following a purchase. Real-time verification on the Web usually takes less than five minutes. Real-time verification is especially important for Web sites that sell products and services that consumers expect immediately, such as memberships to the site or software downloads.

One of two keys used in an asymmetric encryption system. The public key is made public, to be used in conjunction with a corresponding private key.

A publicly available encryption key that can decrypt messages encrypted by its owner's private key. A public key can be used to send a private message to the public key owner.

A publicly disseminated key used for sending encrypted messages, to be decoded using the recipient's private key

One of a pair of corresponding asymmetric keys, available to the public, bound to its owner through the Public Key Infrastructure. Used for verifying signatures in electronic signature systems. In encryption systems it is used for encryption.

A mathematical key that is available publicly. It is used to verify signatures that were created with the matched private key. Also used to encrypt messages or files that can only be decrypted with the matched private key.

Public keys are used in asymmetric cryptography. One of their primary purposes is to enable someone to encrypt messages intended for the owner of the public key. Public keys are meant for distribution, so anyone who wants to send an encrypted message to the owner of the public key can do so, but only the owner of the corresponding private key can decrypt the message. See asymmetric cryptography.

The portion of a key pair that is available publicly so that recipients of encrypted text may decrypt and read such text.

One of a pair of keys used for encryption. A message encrypted with the public key must be decrypted with the private key. Part of a Digital ID.

The key in public key cryptography that is openly available and is not kept private.

The key that is distributed to parties that wish to communicate with the owner of the private key.

A cryptographic system that uses two different keys (public and private) for encrypting and signing data. The most well-know public key algorithm is RSA.

The public component of public key encryption.

One half of a key pair under public key cryptography. The public key is distributed freely to allow messages to be encrypted for a specific receiver. The encrypted message can only be decrypted using the secret private key. See public key infrastructure.

In secure communication, an algorithmic pattern used to decrypt messages that were encrypted by the corresponding private key. A public key is also used to encrypt messages that only the corresponding private key can decrypt. Users broadcast their public keys to everyone with whom they must exchange encrypted messages.

The encrytion key in Public-Key cryptography, assumed that everyone who will write to a person has it

the public key of a public-private key cryptography system. This key is used to confirm "signatures" on incoming messages or to encrypt a file or message so that only the holder of the private key can decrypt the file or message. Public-private Key Cryptography System - a cryptography system that uses two different keys to lock and unlock (encrypt and decrypt) messages and files. The two keys are mathematically linked together. All individual's public key is distributed to other users and is used to encrypt messages to the individual. The individual keeps the private key secret and uses it to decrypt messages sent with the public key. Steganography - the process of hiding data inside other data. For example, a text file could be hidden "inside" all image or a sound file. By looking at the image, or listening to the sound, you would not know that there is extra information present.

A key that is available to the public, used to encrypt messages bound for its owner and to decrypt signatures made by its owner.

See private key.

An encryption method by which two users exchange data securely, but in one direction only. A user, who has a private key, creates a corresponding public key. This public key can be given to anyone. Anyone who wishes to send encrypted data to the user may encrypt the data using the public key. Only the user who possesses the private key can decrypt the data.

Messages are sent encrypted with the recipient's public key, which is known to others; the recipient decrypts them using their private key.

One of a pair of keys used in public-key cryptography. The public key is distributed freely and published as part of a certificate. It is typically used to encrypt data sent to the public key's owner, who then decrypts the data with the corresponding private key.

A data file storing a mathematical key which is assigned to a single individual but can be made publicly available. Others can use this key to verify signatures created with its corresponding private key, and to encrypt the messages or files which can then be decrypted with the corresponding private key.

In a public key system, they key that is known to everyone. See Public Key Encryption. Return to the top

A public key encryption algorithm where one key is published and the other kept secret

The part of the key in a public key system which is distributed widely, and is not kept secure. This is the key used for encryption (as opposed to decryption) or for verifying signatures. Compare private key.

A cryptographic key which is used for data encryption and which cannot be used for decryption. Public keys can be freely published.

the open key, the non-secret part of the pair of two keys in asymmetric cryptography.

One of the pair of keys used in a public key cryptographic system. It is made available for anyone who wants to communicate securely with the keys owner and used for encryption.

The publicly available and distributed component of an asymmetric cryptographic key.

One of two keys in public key encryption. The user releases this key to the public and anyone can use it to encrypt messages to be sent to the user and decrypt the user's digital signature. Compare private key.

The half of a key pair which may be made public.

One key of a key pair that an organization distributes to other users on the network. Because only the public key can decrypt information encrypted by the associated private key, it ensures the decrypted information came from the organization that owns the key pair.

The encryption key used in public-key encryption.

The part of a key pair that is widely distributed, and is not kept secure. This is the key used for encryption (as opposed to decryption) or for verifying signatures. QRS

A unique identifier for a buyer or seller that is available to other parties to enable secure e-commerce using encryption based on Digital certificates (keys) .

a public key is a value provided by some designated authority as an encryption key that, combined with a private key derived from the public key, can be used to effectively encrypt messages and digital signatures.

The nonsecret half of a cryptographic key pair that is used with a public key algorithm. Public keys are typically used when encrypting a session key, verifying a digital signature, or encrypting data that can be decrypted with the corresponding private key.

A widely available mathematical key used for encrypting or decrypting messages. The current electronic check demonstration projects use a combination of private and public keys to ensure the security and authenticity of data transmissions.

A digital code used to encrypt information and verify digital signatures. This key can be made widely available; it has a corresponding private key.

In a public key cryptosystem, the key of the entity's key pair that is publicly known.

The publicly available key in a → Public Key Cryptography system, used to encrypt messages bound for its owner and to decrypt signatures made by its owner. See: SSL/TLS Encryption

Public Key is the Key in Asymmetric Cryptography that is widely distributed. Can be used for encryption or decryption

A digital code used to decrypt data and verify digital signatures, and it can be made widely available.

A type of key that is available to any user of the Exchange system. It is a fixed-length security string that is stored in publicly-available certificates and is used to seal and verify secure messages. Exchange actually uses two public keys: one for sealing messages and one for verifying messages.

The key you give out to the world in public-key cryptography systems. Other people use your public key when sending you encrypted data, which you can then decrypt with your private key. You also use other people's public keys to verify the authenticity of mail messages they've signed with their private keys.

Part of PKI (i.e., one half of a key pair). Encrypts data that the user's private key must then decrypt.

One of two keys in a keypair; used to encrypt information and verify signatures. A user"s public key can be widely disseminated to colleagues or strangers. Knowing a person"s public key does not help anyone discover the corresponding private key.

In a PKI, a cryptographic key created and made public by a subscriber.  It may be used to encrypt information that may be decrypted by the corresponding private key; or to verify the digital signature made by the corresponding private key.

The public part of a key pair used for cryptographic operations (e.g. signing, encrypting).

A device that is used by algorithms that encrypt and decrypt using asymmetric yet mathematically linked keys. Each security module is assigned a pair of keys: The encryption key is "public" and does not require distribution by secure means. The decryption or "private" key cannot be discovered through knowledge of the public key or its underlying algorithm. Public key algorithms can apply to one or more of the following: key distribution, encryption, authentication, or digital signature.

Ciphering key of a public key algorithm (also referred to as asymmetrical). It can be made public without any risk (in an Internet directory, for instance). It is almost impossible to find the matching secret key by calculation. Secondly Public Key can refer to the individual Key that is published by the user to others to use verify signatures.

The public-key cryptography this key is make public to all, it is primarily used for encryption but can be used for verifying signatures.

The publicly-disclosed component of a pair of cryptographic keys used for asymmetric cryptography.

A key in asymmetric ciphers used to encrypt a message that can only be decrypted by the matching private key. Public keys can be openly shared because knowledge of the public key doesn't help quickly cryptanalyze a public key encrypted message or figure out the private key. Although public keys don't need to be concealed they must nevertheless be protected (see man-in-the-middle attack).

In a public key cryptosystem, the key material that can be published publicly without compromising the security of the system. Generally, this material must be published, and its authenticity determined definitively.

The key used to encrypt plain text in public-key cryptography.

The published part of an asymmetric encryption schema. Public keys are not private information and are included in digital certificates. Public keys can be used for two purposes:• A sender of a message can use the receiverâ€(tm)s public key to encrypt the message. Only the receiver, who holds the private key, can decrypt the message.• A sender can “sign” a message or message digest with his or her private key. The receiver uses the senderâ€(tm)s public key to determine the authenticity of the message. See Asymmetric Encryption, Digital Signature, Message Digest