Homework on Public and Private Keys - Questions

  1. Private keys are generated by computers, and from them the public key is derived. A private key is a personal key that’s used to decrypt messages sent to you that were encoded using your public key. It is also used to sign messages, and anyone can confirm that the message originated from you by comparing it to your public key.

  2. Public key cryptography can be used to encrypt messages that only the person with the private key to that public key can decrypt, and to verify the signatures of transactions.

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  1. A public key is a randomly generated value, which is kept private. The public key is derived from the private key and are used to authenticate and secure the data sent to the owner of the private key.

  2. It can be used to authenticate users. Authenticate and decrypting data.

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1. Describe the concept of public and private key with your own words.
Public key and private key are by which a method one can encrypt a message/transaction and send it to a recipient.

  • For example I am on a messaging service and want to receive messages that only me and the sender want to see.
  • I can generate a private key which is a random set of numbers.
  • From this private key I am able to generate a public key.
  • This public key can be shown to the world i.e ‘public’.
  • The sender writes a message. The sender takes my public key encrypts the message into gibberish.
  • Once encrypted can send the message which now contains gibberish to me.
  • I then use my private key (which only I have e.i ‘private’) to unencrypt the message.
  • I am then able to read the message as intended by the sender.

Furthermore within the crypto sphere ones private key can sign a transaction so it correlates with the public key ensuring whatever transaction has been sent through is from said individual. Essentially just an extra layer of security and encryption is provided.

2. What 2 use-cases can public key cryptography be used for?

Encryption and Digital Signatures are the 2 use-cases for public key cryptography.

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A public key is derived from a private key. It’s open to the public while the privat key needs to be kept safe. The private key is used to open encrypted messages while the public key can be used to verify the origin of the message.

2 Use cases: Messages/Encryption & Digital Signatures

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1- The privet key digitally signs data sent from you, and with the public key you receive data sent to you.

2- The public key cryptography is used for encryption and digital signatures.

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  1. The main reason for public and private keys is for security and the basis for public key cryptography. Every public key match to only one private key. Public keys are kind of like a business address which is publicly available. The private keys are your personal keys to the business.

  2. 2 use cases for public key cryptography are encryption and digital signatures. Digital signatures verify who sent the message. Encryption sends funds securely.

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  1. Describe the concept of public and private key with your own words.
    The private key is generated by the computer which should not be shared as it is the “key” for your user and can be used to encrypt messages. Public keys created with this private key are in turn used to verify the origin of the message
  2. What 2 use-cases can public key cryptography be used for?
    Encryption and Digital Signature
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  1. Public key is where people can send you things that only you can view. Private key is where you actually receive everything sent to your public key. You also use the private key for your digital signature when you send things to other people.

  2. Encryption and digital signatures

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  1. Public key, is key generated from private key. This can be used by others to encrypt a message by which can only be unencrypted using the private key which was used to generate the public key.
  2. Encryption and digital signatures
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  1. A public key is a key available to for everyone to see, people use the public key to encrypt data they send to you, You in turn use your private key to decrypt the message. The private key should never be shared with anyone and kept safe. Your private key generates your public key.

  2. Public key cryptography can be used in encryption and and for digital signatures. For encryption you would use the person receiving the messages public key and they would decrypt the message with their private key. For a digital signature you sign the message with your private key. The recipient then can verify you sent the message by using your public key to ensure your private key (signature) did in fact create the public key.

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-This is a randomly generated large number which is processed in your pc to a public key. The private key cannot be derived from the public key,
-For encrypting data and digital signing.

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Thank you Alko and MoMoni for helping out with clarifying the answers! :slight_smile:

  1. Private key is a large random generated number. Public key is derived from the private key

  2. I can use my private key to sign the message/transaction I want to send and then the counterparty can verify that this message/transaction was signed by my private key using my public key, or I can use my counterparty’s public key to encrypt the message/transaction I want to send.

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A Private key is random generated number, and is secret. A public key is created with the Private key and can be made public.

End to end encryption email or chat. Signing digital documents

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  1. The private key is generated from the public key in a mathematical way that is close to impossible to do twice because there are to many options.

  2. encryption and digital signatures

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A public key is the “outer” key, this is used as to “attach” to the private key to whatever you are sending, the public is for anyone to see but the private is your own secret. They are or can be linked obviously.
The 2 uses are Encryption in Bitcoin for instance and digital signatures sending documents peer to peer.

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In Bitcoin your signing transactions, nothing is encrypted. :slight_smile:

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  1. A private key is a very large random number that only one person has. A public key is generated from the private key and is used openly as an address.
  2. Encryption and Digital Signatures
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  1. Public keys enable sending/receiving encrypted data securely and can be made known to all. The public key is derived from the private key but the inverse math is not feasible. Private keys are what enable secure access to personal data and must remain known only to you.
  2. Digital signatures and Encryption.
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  1. The public key is used to enrypt sensitive information and the private key decrypts the information that was encrypted with the use of the public key.
  2. The 2 use cases are encryption and digital signatures.Digital signatures verify who sent the message since the private key derives the public key which creates the bitcoin address. You send bitcoin using your private key and receive bitcoin to your bitcoin address.Cryptography and the use of public and private keys solves the security issue when we use the internet.
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