A public key cryptographic algorithm is a type of encryption system that uses two different keys – a public key and a private key – to securely transmit information over a network.
In this system, the public key is made freely available to anyone who wishes to send a message, while the private key is kept secret by the recipient. When a sender encrypts a message using the recipient’s public key, only the recipient can decrypt it using their private key.
This system is considered more secure than traditional symmetric encryption methods because the private key is never transmitted over the network, reducing the risk of interception by attackers. Popular public key cryptographic algorithms include RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC).