4 ms·
Keys are generated in pairs. The public key is a key you can safely share. Other users encrypt data with your public key, this data can only be decrypted wit
by aosmith 11y ago
Keys are generated in pairs. The public key is a key you can safely share. Other users encrypt data with your public key, this data can only be decrypted with your private key. Private keys should be stored locally and securely.
- vtlynch 11y agoYes I am aware of key pairs. But my understanding is that RSA key pairs are often (and unless im mistaken, required to be) the same number of bits.
- aosmith 11y agoGenerally yes, but subkeys can differ in length. I'm not sure if RSA supports subkeys but that's my initial thought.
- acqq 11y agoBut why are the private keys so much shorter?
- vtlynch 11y agoThey aren't. Not to be rude, but aosmith is almost certainly wrong about what "Public/Private" means in this context. I have never seen a situation where the public and private key vary in length like that. It would also make no sense for the Private Key to be half the size as that key controls decryption and is the more important one to secure (and therefore be higher bit).