AP CSP Day 51: Information Security
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Practice Question
Symmetric encryption uses the same key for both encryption and decryption. Asymmetric encryption uses a public key for encryption and a different private key for decryption. Which of the following is an advantage of asymmetric encryption over symmetric encryption?
The fundamental advantage of asymmetric encryption is solving the key distribution problem. The public key can be freely shared with anyone. Only the private key must be kept secret, and it never needs to be transmitted. Symmetric encryption requires both parties to share the same secret key through a secure channel.
A) Asymmetric encryption is actually slower than symmetric due to more complex mathematical operations. C) Asymmetric encryption typically requires longer keys than symmetric for equivalent security. D) Asymmetric encryption is used in many applications including HTTPS for web browsing.
Students assume asymmetric encryption is better in every way. It solves key distribution but is slower and uses longer keys. In practice, systems often use asymmetric encryption to exchange a symmetric key, then use symmetric encryption for speed.
The key advantage of asymmetric encryption = no need to share a secret key. The key advantage of symmetric encryption = faster processing. Many real systems combine both.
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