Describe the main characteristics of symmetric key encryption.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Symmetric key algorithms encrypt and decrypt data using a single secret key. The secret key and the algorithm used are given to both parties involved. The secret key specifies exactly how the transformation to and from gibberish is to be accomplished. The original data is called plaintext, and the gibberish is called ciphertext. The transformation from plaintext to ciphertext is called encryption, and the transformation from ciphertext back to plaintext is called decryption. The entire encryption and decryption algorithm is called a cipher, and the processes use the same secret key.