Symmetric and Asymmetric Encryption

Encryption transforms readable data into an unreadable format, protecting it from unauthorized access. There are two fundamental types of encryption: symmetric and asymmetric.

Symmetric Encryption

Uses the same key for encryption and decryption. Fast and efficient for large amounts of data.

  • AES - The gold standard for symmetric encryption
  • ChaCha20 - A modern stream cipher

Asymmetric Encryption

Uses a pair of keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. Essential for key exchange and digital signatures.

  • RSA - Widely used for key exchange and signatures
  • ECC - More efficient than RSA with equivalent security

Hybrid Encryption

In practice, web security uses both: asymmetric encryption to exchange a symmetric key, then symmetric encryption for the actual data. This is how TLS works.