From 049a36844b3a15de6264f422959f9b6ffc092fa3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Alex Gaynor Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 13:21:39 -0800 Subject: Document public key and private keys in teh glossary --- docs/glossary.rst | 22 +++++++++++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 21 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) (limited to 'docs') diff --git a/docs/glossary.rst b/docs/glossary.rst index 4421fca3..666e77da 100644 --- a/docs/glossary.rst +++ b/docs/glossary.rst @@ -26,9 +26,29 @@ Glossary Cryptographic operations where encryption and decryption use the same key. + public-key cryptography asymmetric cryptography Cryptographic operations where encryption and decryption use different - keys. There are separate encryption and decryption keys. + keys. There are separate encryption and decryption keys. Typically + encryption is performed using a :term:`public key`, and it can then be + decrypted using a :term:`private key`. Asymmetric cryptography can also + be used to create signatures, which can be generated with a + :term:`private key` and verified with a :term:`public key`. + + public key + This is one of two keys involved in :term:`public-key cryptography`. It + can be used to encrypt messages for someone posessing the corrosponding + :term:`private key` and to verify signatures created with the + corrosponding :term:`private key`. This can be distributed publicly, + hence the name. + + private key + This is one of two keys involved in :term:`public-key cryptography`. It + can be used to decrypt messages which were encrypted with the + corrosponding :term:`public key`, as well as to create signatures, + which can be verified with the corrosponding :term:`public key`. These + **must** be kept secret, if they are exposed, all encrypted messages + are compromised, and an attacker will be able to forge signatures. authentication The process of verifying that a message was created by a specific -- cgit v1.2.3 From 2c89df54d0d1902e10b2348a1e0520a95ab6760b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Alex Gaynor Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 13:30:16 -0800 Subject: Spelling --- docs/glossary.rst | 12 ++++++------ 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) (limited to 'docs') diff --git a/docs/glossary.rst b/docs/glossary.rst index 666e77da..ef422a6e 100644 --- a/docs/glossary.rst +++ b/docs/glossary.rst @@ -37,16 +37,16 @@ Glossary public key This is one of two keys involved in :term:`public-key cryptography`. It - can be used to encrypt messages for someone posessing the corrosponding - :term:`private key` and to verify signatures created with the - corrosponding :term:`private key`. This can be distributed publicly, - hence the name. + can be used to encrypt messages for someone possessing the + corresponding :term:`private key` and to verify signatures created with + the corresponding :term:`private key`. This can be distributed + publicly, hence the name. private key This is one of two keys involved in :term:`public-key cryptography`. It can be used to decrypt messages which were encrypted with the - corrosponding :term:`public key`, as well as to create signatures, - which can be verified with the corrosponding :term:`public key`. These + corresponding :term:`public key`, as well as to create signatures, + which can be verified with the corresponding :term:`public key`. These **must** be kept secret, if they are exposed, all encrypted messages are compromised, and an attacker will be able to forge signatures. -- cgit v1.2.3