What is Public/private keys?

Public/private keys are a fundamental concept in modern cryptography. They consist of a pair of keys: a public key, which can be freely distributed, and a private key, which must be kept secret. The public key can be used to encrypt messages that only the corresponding private key can decrypt, or to verify digital signatures created with the private key. This asymmetry enables secure communication and authentication without the need to exchange secret keys beforehand. Common uses include secure web browsing (HTTPS), email encryption, digital signatures, and secure shell (SSH) access.