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A private key is a random number generated by your own computer. This is then encrypted to produce a public key which is visible to the public. It is not possible to go from public key to private key. The private key is secret.
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The 2 major use cases are encryption and digital signatures. Digital signatures are mostly used in Bitcoin. That is why we have private and public key cryptography in Bitcoin.
The sender encrypts a message using the public key of the recipient.
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On the surface public and private keys are nothing more than long strings of letters and numbers, yet they represent so much more. A private key generates a public key and the two keys are used together so they are referred to as key pairs. Private keys are generated by crypto wallets or other software with something to protect. We mainly use key pairs for encryption and digital signatures.
Private and public keys are used together to safeguard something important. Whether the important thing is something you’ve written or created digitally, like a crypto wallet, it can be protected with a public-private key pair. Say you’ve written a report or an important message for a business associate that you need to keep secret or hidden from prying eyes. Encryption is your friend here. In order to communicate secretly you and your business associate would generate key pairs and share with each other your public keys. Public keys can be seen by anyone. It’s safe because no one can generate the private key that pairs to a public key. In order to safeguard your messages private keys must be kept secret, hence the word private. What you would do next is to encrypt the message using the public key that belongs to your business associate and then send the encrypted message to them. They would then decrypt the message using their private key. If anyone else has obtained the associate’s public key, don’t worry because the associate is the only one with the private key for reading the secret message. The business associate would encrypt their reply to you with your public key and then send the encrypted message to you. You could read their message after decrypting it with your private key.
The concept is similar with crypto wallets as we are protecting important messages with private-public key pairs. We want to provide a digital signature for each and every transaction as proof that we sent the message or transaction to the network. A wallet generates a private key. That private key is used to create a public key and a bitcoin address is derived from the public key. You can share your bitcoin address with everyone but keep your private keys secure. When your wallet asks, “Do you really want to send this transaction?” (or something similar) and you click ‘Yes’ or tap the button on your hardware wallet, the wallet software signs the transaction with its private key before sending the transaction to the network. This way everyone knows you are the one who sent the transaction. Hardware wallets introduce a physical step of hitting that little button to send a transaction which is why they are recommended for hodling your coins.
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The private key is a large random number and the public key is derived from the private key. The public key is shared (public) for every one to see. The private key is kept secret. Someone can use my private key to encrypt a message, send it to me and only I am able to decrypt said message with my private key. On the other hand I can use my private key to sign a massage and any one can verify that I had signed said message by using my public key.
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- Encryption of Messages
- Signature of Messages
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A private key is something that proves you are the owner of something. It can be used to decrypt information meant only for you or sign that something came from you. It generates a public key that everyone can use to send messages to you safely.
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Encryption and digital signatures.
- A private key is a key generated by a random number and it is not shared with the public. A public key is derived from the private key and is shared with the public so messages or transactions can be done. You cannot determine the private key even with knowledge of the public key because it is derived with a one-way function.
- Two use-cases of public key cryptography are 1) sending a message so no one else can see it and 2) verifying that you are the person who has sent that message.
- Private Key is a randomly generated number that should be accessible only by the holder and its the equivalent of its unique signature, and Public Key is a number generated from hashing your Private Key and it can be disclosed without compromising security.
- Encryption and Digital Signature.
- Describe the concept of public and private key with your own words.
A public key can be widely destributed it’s used to encrypt messages that can be used to send and receive massages securely,
A private key must be kept secret it’s used to decrypt messages that are sent from a public key that created the encryption.
- What 2 use-cases can public key cryptography be used for?
Sending messages securely (encrypted) so nobody can read them
Digital signatures
1 Computer picks random number, encrypts from this number a private key and from the private key a public key.
2 The concept can be used for;
a/encrypting a message on a public platfom.
b/ authenticating a message by an encrypted private key signature
Homework on Public and Private Keys
1. Describe the concept of public and private key with your own words.
- it’s a sort of cryptography to either encrypt messages or sign digital data
- a private key is a big number which is randomly generated
- a public key can be generated out of a private key but you can not conclude from a public key to a private key. This is a one way function only
- public and private keys are paired together throught cryptography
2. What 2 use-cases can public key cryptography be used for?
- Encrypt messages: by as a sender using the public key of the reciever to encrypt the message. Only the receiver can decrypt the message with its private key
- Sign a transaction: by putting the sign of a private key to a transaction. The sign can be verified other by checking the public key.
1- The public key is the one that it use to receive a message or transaction for instant it can be share with anyone, while the private key is the one that decrypt the message or sign a transaction and for that matter it will need to kept secret.
2- One use case is to Receive an encrypted message and another use case is to receive a digital signed transaction.
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A private key is a unique encrypted key used to securely store data. A public key is generated from the private key for allowing others to send data to the private key without ever having access to it directly.
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- Encryption
- Digital Signatures
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- Used for Identity
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- Establishes Integrity
- A public key is derive from the private key, we can see the public key as an IBAN in the traditional banking system it ill be used as an address to receive fund. The private key is your Code to use you found it ll be used to sign your transaction.
- public key is used to receive fund , it can also be used to encrypt data
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- A private key is a set of random computer generated numbers. You dont want to lose it. You need it to decrypt a message sent to the public key.
- A public key is generated from the private key. You cannot figure out the private key from the public key. other people can see your public key.
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Public key cryptography can be used to send an encrypted message.the private key decrypts it. It can also be used to receive crypotocurency.
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Describe the concept of public and private key with your own words.
In my own words, a private key is a unique very large number that is randomly generated from a network, that private key then contains its own signature. with that private key and signature a Public key is generated, which can be used to recieve/send encrypted messages. the messages sent can be verified by the signature and private key. -
What 2 use-cases can public key cryptography be used for?
two use-cases public key cryptography can be used for are Recieving/sending encrypted messages and Cryptocurrency.
Private key is used to sign when sending bitcoin
Public key is used to receive bitcoin
Encryption and digital signature
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Public keys and private keys are used to send and receive Bitcoin transactions. The public key is an address that is shared with the public to receive and send transactions from, and private keys are used to authorize the sending of transactions. Public and private keys are also used for digital signatures, so that the receiving party can verify the sending party.
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Public key cryptography can be used for encryption and digital signatures.
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The public key is like your glass showcase for everyone to see. The private key is what you would use to open the showcase with to take out items for sale.
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The two use cases are 1: Encryption and 2: Digital Signatures
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Your private key is generated randomly by your computer and is kept private. The public key is generated by the computer using your private key and can be used by others.
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Encryption and digital signatures
Hello,
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A private key is a randomly generated alphanumerical code, from which the public key derives. A public key can be freely shared, for it is the result of a one way function (pre-image resistant).
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Signatures and encryption. A message can be encrypted with the public key of the receiver, and read only with the private key of the receiver. Any document can be signed by the private key of the sender, and confirmed by any receiver by using the known public key.
Best,