See also: Security | Cryptography | Public-Key Cryptosystem | Private key
A key file or block of text that is the first step in most of the Internet’s secure communications. When you purchase an item from a Web site (SSL), this process is invisible, the public keys exchanged in the background without any user interface. When using PGP, public key exchange is not transparent, requiring posting it on a Web site, email attachment, or a text block such as the one below. The public key works in conjunction with a private key to enable secure communications.
The Public Key is one of three security features of the Public-Key Cryptosystem, working with the private key and user password to create a secure connection.
Various File Formats associated with Public Keys:
- ASC – short for ASCII
- PGP – commercial PGP files
- GPG – GPG files
- PK
Example:
An actual public key (test@test.com) created using GPG. Some are larger or smaller, depending on bit size, the following using 1024 bits:
—–BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK—–Version: GnuPG v1.2.1 (MingW32) – WinPT 0.7.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4eTn—–END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK—–TakeDown.NET -> “Public-key”