Encryption: The encoding of the data by a special algorithm that renders the data unreadable by any program without the decryption key.
Symmetric encryption
Uses the same key for both encryption and decryption
Relies on safe communication lines for exchanging the key.
Example: Data Encryption Standard (DES)
Asymmetric encryption
Uses different keys for encryption and decryption –if one is used for encryption, another one will be used for decryption.
•One key will be kept secret called a private key, and another key may be posted on public which is called a public key.
•Example: Rivest-Shamir-Adleman(RSA)