6.07 Cryptography: Securing the Internet

6.7 Cryptography: Securing the Internet Curriculum Page

Cryptography: Securing the Internet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uTAW60_oQ6vzWlZE3blWJjJNq_U7jQ0u5joIt3xuFSM/edit?usp=sharing

1. Explain in your own words how public key encryption is not symmetric.

Public encryption is not symmetric because it uses two different keys for encryption. There are separate keys for encryption and decryption, and the encryption key is public but the decryption key is secret so it is hard to decode.

2. Cryptography relies on open standards - a protocol or standard that is publicly available. Why are open standards necessary?

Open standards are necessary so that more people have access to the protocol. If only a few people had access, then encryption and decryption wouldn't be as effective because very few people would have the keys necessary to encrypt and decrypt.