private-key cryptography

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

private-key cryptography

   <cryptography> As opposed to {public-key cryptography}, a
   cryptographic method in which the same key is used to encrypt
   and decrypt the message.  Private-key algorithms include the
   obsolescent {Data Encryption Standard} (DES), triple-DES
   (3DES), the {Advanced Encryption Standard} (AES), also known
   as Rijndael, Blowfish, Twofish RC2, {RC4}, RC5 and RC6.

   A problem with private-key cryptography is that the sender and
   the recipient of the message must agree on a common key via
   some alternative secure channel.

   {Public-key cryptography} gives an answer to this problem.

   (2008-02-07)