Symmetric and Asymmetric
AES and RSA.
Two Families of Encryption
Modern encryption splits into two families based on how keys work:
- Symmetric: the same key encrypts and decrypts. Example: AES.
- Asymmetric: a key pair, where one key encrypts and a different key decrypts. Example: RSA.
Real systems combine both. Understanding their trade-offs is essential for attacking and defending crypto.
Symmetric Encryption
In symmetric encryption, both parties share one secret key. The same key locks and unlocks the data.
- Pro: very fast, ideal for large amounts of data.
- Con: you must securely share the key first. This is the key distribution problem.
All lessons in this course
- Encoding vs Encryption
- Hashing
- Symmetric and Asymmetric
- Cracking Hashes