The RSA algorithm is an asymmetric cryptography algorithm. Asymmetric actually means that it works in two different keys, that is, Public key and Private key. As the name describes, the public key is given to all and the private key is kept private. RSA is a cryptosystem for public key encryption, and is widely used to protect sensitive data, especially when it is sent over an insecure network such as the Internet.
RSA was first described in 1977 by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir and Leonard Adleman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Public key cryptography, also known as asymmetric cryptography, uses two different but mathematically linked keys, one public and the other private. The public key can be shared with everyone, while the private key must be kept secret. In RSA cryptography, both public and private keys can encrypt a message; the key opposite the one used to encrypt a message is used to decrypt it. This attribute is one of the reasons why RSA has become the most used asymmetric element.
Algorithm: Provides a method to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, authenticity and lack of reputation of electronic communications and data storage. Many protocols such as SSH, OpenPGP, S / MIME and SSL / TLS depend on RSA for encryption and digital signature functions. It is also used in software programs: browsers are an obvious example, which needs to establish a secure connection through an insecure network such as the Internet or validate a digital signature. The verification of RSA signatures is one of the most commonly performed operations in IT.