An encryption method that uses the same secret key to encrypt and decrypt messages. Contrast with "public key cryptography," which uses a two-part key; one public and one private.
Also called "symmetric key cryptography," the secret key method is faster to decrypt messages than the public key method, but the problem is getting the secret key to the other party in the first place. If the secret key were exposed, the encrypted data can be revealed. To solve this problem, the public key approach is used to transmit the secret key to the other side, and the secret key method is then used to both encrypt and decrypt. See
public key cryptography,
encryption algorithm and
crypto.
Encrypt Decrypt
Secret Key
Cryptography Private key Private key
Public Key Private key Public key
Cryptography or
Public key Private key