Discover the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption

Data encryption is the process of transferring data from one form to another or into a code format that only the person with access to the decryption key or password can read it. There are two commonly implemented types of encryption: symmetric and asymmetric. The fundamental difference between the two types of encryption is that symmetric encryption uses a unique key for both encryption and decryption, while asymmetric encryption uses a public key to encrypt and private key to decode.

To get a better understanding of these two forms of coding as well as point out the basic differences between them, let's take a look at a few factors below.

Symmetric encryption

This is arguably the simplest and most commonly used coding technique, with some outstanding features such as:

1. Because the symmetric encryption algorithm is less complicated and can execute faster, this is a technique that is particularly popular in mass data transfer operations.
2. The original text is encrypted with a key before sending, and the same key will also be used by the recipient to decode the data.
3. Some of the most commonly used symmetric encryption algorithms include AES-128, AES-192 and AES-256.

Asymmetric encryption

This type of encryption comes after symmetric encryption and is also known as public-key encryption:

1. Asymmetric encryption is said to be safer than symmetric encryption because it uses two separate keys for both encryption and decryption processes.
2. The public key used for encryption will be public, but the private key for decryption is completely confidential.
3. This encryption method is used in everyday communication over the internet.
4. When a message is encrypted with the public key, it can only be decrypted with the private key. However, when a message is encrypted with the private key, it can be decoded with the public key.
5. The digital certificate in the client-server model can be used to find public keys.
6. The drawback of asymmetric encryption is that it takes longer to perform than symmetric encryption.
7. Common asymmetric coding techniques include RSA, DSA and PKCS.

The main difference between symmetric encryption and asymmetric encryption

1. Asymmetric encryption is a technique that has been introduced a long time ago, while asymmetric encryption is a newer technique.
2. Asymmetric encryption takes longer to execute due to the complex logic involved. For this reason, symmetric encryption is still preferred for mass data transmission.
3. Asymmetric encryption is more secure because it uses different keys for encryption and decryption.

Both encryption methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. However from a security perspective, asymmetric encryption is definitely the more optimal option.