Why would you use something like PGP if you have to send your encryption key unencrypted to the party you are sending to? And if you leave this key out on something like Twitter for example, couldn’t law enforcement or a third party if they gained access to the other persons email still read the contents of the encrypted email by using this key? Doesn’t this defeate the purpose of using encryption?
In: Technology
asymetric encryption isnt like a normal lock and key. you can better think of it as a code lock with 2 codes. however one code can only lock it and the other only unlock it.
now if you want to to send someone a locked box, you can take the lock and use the locking code to lock it. this code would be the public key. everyone knows it and can use it to lock anthing meant for you. because the public code can only lock and not unlock its fine that every one knows it because even if they get the box, they cant open it. now if you get the box, you can use your private unlock code to open the box.
in reality its a bit more complex, but this is basicly how it works
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