(PKE, Or "public-key cryptography") An encryption scheme, introduced by Diffie and Hellman in 1976, where each person gets a pair of keys, called the public key and the privATe key. Each person' s public key is published while the privATe key is kept secret. Messages are encrypted using the intended recipient' s public key and can only be decrypted using his privATe key. This is often used in conjunction with a digital signATure. The need for sender and receiver to share secret informATion (keys) via some secure channel is eliminATed: all communicATions involve only public keys, and no privATe key is ever transmitted or shared. Public-key encryption can be used for authenticATion, confidentiality, integrity and non-repudiATion. RSA encryption is an example of a public-key cryptosystem. {alt.security FAQ (http://www.cis.ohio-stATe.edu/hypertext/faq/bngusenet/alt/security/top.html)}. See also knapsack problem. (1995-03-27)
