Explained: What is cryptosystem? Difference between asymmetric and symmetric system

New Delhi: In the world of cryptocurrency, every day starts with new surprises for investors. A world called asymmetric cryptosystem has been doing rounds on the internet.

In this article, we will discuss the cryptosystem. Furthermore, we will explain the difference between asymmetric cryptosystem and symmetric cryptosystem.

What is a cryptosystem?

A cryptosystem is a common name among the people, which is shorthand for the cryptographic system. Cryptosystem means converting plaintext to ciphertext, encoding the message for a receiver in a certain code.

In a simple way, cryptosystem helps to protect information and communications of a sender only for the receiver of his choice on the internet. In case, any unknown person, who gets the message through malicious way, could not read and process it.

Types of cryptosystems

There are two types of cryptosystems. They are known as symmetric cryptosystem and Asymmetric cryptosystem.

Let us understand difference between symmetric cryptosystem and Asymmetric cryptosystem.

1.Symmetric cryptosystem    

In the symmetric cryptosystem, the system uses same key for encrypting the message and decrypting the message. If anyone wants to send the message using the symmetric cryptosystem, the system generates a key for decoding the message.

Sender and receiver communicates each other on the same key. Symmetric is said be fast as it works on the common key.

The drawback of the system is that both sender and receiver have to change key regularly to avoid any attack on the internet.

 2.Asymmetric cryptosystem

Asymmetric cryptosystem works on the two keys system for sharing the message between sender and receiver. Sender and receiver use the different keys to exchange the message. It is reported to be safer than symmetric cryptosystem. For example: A wants to send a message to B. A will uses B’s public key to encrypt the message while B will use A’s private key to decrypt the message.

Although the asymmetric cryptosystem is slower than symmetric cryptosystem, asymmetric cryptosystem is safer as it works on two keys system. It makes hard for Cyberattackers to predict and generate both the keys to read the message.