Asymmetric Encryption Schemes

Another name for asymmetric encryption is public-key cryptography (PKC). This name comes from the fact that the cryptosystems in this category are using a pair of keys in their algorithms. Specifically, a public key is used by the encryption algorithm, and a private (secret) key is used by the decryption algorithm. In classical cryptography, the purpose of each type of key is well established, but in modern cryptography, these types of keys can be used for additional purposes. For example, another type of secret key can be a master key, used to encrypt and decrypt the keys of a specific cryptosystem.