Explain the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption.

• This is the most basic type of encryption, using only one secret key to cypher and decipher data. Symmetric encryption is a well-known and well-established technology. It employs a secret key, which can be a number, a word, or a random string of letters. It's a technique for altering the content of a message by blending it with the plain text.
• In comparison to symmetric encryption, asymmetric encryption is also known as public key cryptography. It is a relatively new technology. Asymmetric encryption encrypts plain text with two keys. Secret keys are shared via a vast network like the Internet. It prevents malicious individuals from abusing the keys.
• Asymmetric encryption uses a pair of public and private keys to encrypt and decrypt messages when communicating, whereas symmetric encryption uses a single key that must be shared among the people who need to receive the message. Asymmetric encryption is a relatively new technology compared to symmetric encryption.
• Asymmetric encryption was created to address the inherent problem of having to share the key in symmetric encryption models by employing a pair of public-private keys to eliminate the requirement to share the key. Asymmetric encryption takes significantly longer than symmetric encryption.

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