| Main Entry: | private key |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | in cryptography, an encryption/decryption value known only to the party or parties that exchange secret messages; also called secret key |
| Example: | Some systems use both a public and private key. |
private key cryptography
A piece of data used in private-key cryptography and public-key cryptography. In the former the private key is known by both sender and recipient whereas in the latter it is known only to the sender.
(2008-02-07)