Encryption Basics (Symmetric vs Asymmetric)

Summary

Symmetric encryption uses one shared key for both encrypting and decrypting (fast, but key distribution is hard); asymmetric uses a public/private key pair (slower, but solves the key distribution problem).

• 1Diagram how symmetric and asymmetric encryption each handle key exchange differently.
• 2Learn why real systems (like TLS) often use both together: asymmetric to exchange a symmetric key.
• 3Practice explaining the trade-off (speed vs key distribution) in plain language.