por If you are interested in the field of cryptography, it is important that you know what is public key infrastructure. This system, among other things, has allowed communications through applications such as Telegram and WhatsApp to now be more secure. It has also become the basis for encrypting Internet communication traffic and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
In this post, we will talk about this type of encryption and why it has become one of the main standards for encryption. secure data communication. Next, we will explain what public key infrastructure or PKI is.
What is public key infrastructure or PKI?
Public key infrastructure or PKI is a type of encryption used to encrypt message communication between two or more electronic devices. PKI systems can be used to offer multiple communication services, such as chats, video calls, calls, and text messages.
Currently, companies such as Skype, Meta or Telegram, among many others, use this service as a standard to guarantee the privacy, confidentiality, integrity and authenticity of communication between users.
How does public key infrastructure work?
Know What is public key infrastructure and how does it work? It is essential in today’s crypto world. Public key infrastructure is a model of cryptography, in which the key used to encrypt a message is different from the one used to decrypt it. Both keys are known as:
Public key.Private key.
The public key is created from the private key and therefore, although they are different, are related.
Private key is not shared with any other user or device. It is totally secret and can only be obtained through theft or improper access to the respective computer. Besides, the public key is shared with those users with whom you wish to exchange information and, in this way, end-to-end encryption can be carried out.
In end-to-end encryption, the information is encrypted using the public key of the user to whom you want to send a message. When the message reaches the receiver’s device, it uses your own private key to decrypt information. In this way, only those who have access to your computer will be able to see the content of said message.
The padlock simile
To understand what public key infrastructure is, a simile with a real padlock to illustrate its operation.
The simile consists of assuming that they give you an open lock, which in this case would be the public key, and a chest so that you can enter a message or an object there. Now, Suppose that another person keeps the key and only they could open the lock once you close it. In this way, hypothetically, the confidentiality of the contents of the chest would be guaranteed.
The public key infrastructure works in the same way, thanks to the fact that the two keys to encrypt and decrypt the data are related to each other. Therefore, this system is also the basis for other security functions that focus on protect the authenticity and integrity of the messagein addition to its confidentiality.
What is public key infrastructure (PKI) used for?
You already know what public key infrastructure is and why it serves to guarantee the security of communications. Now, we will talk about some of the main functions of the PKI system:
Confidentiality
The main set of functions of this type of encryption is related to protecting the content and its integrity. It is mainly looking for that is unintelligible to a third party and, likewise, that the encryption algorithm is impossible to break in practice.
Public key infrastructure encryption or asymmetric encryption is not a sufficient measure on its own to guarantee security Of content. Therefore, it should be combined with more encryption tools and strategies. Furthermore, it must be kept in mind that having the most secure encryption system is of no use if other aspects of cybersecurity are neglected, such as the possibility of a social engineering attack.
Authenticity
Asymmetric encryption is also used to verify the authenticity and non-repudiation of information. The digital signatures They are based on the use of this system to guarantee the authenticity of the content of a message.
In the case of electronic signatures, the sender of the message generates the signature with your private key and the receiver verifies it with his public key.
How to learn more?
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