Public key cryptography, or asymmetric cryptography, is an encryption method that uses two keys that are similar mathematically but are not identical: a public key and a private key. Unlike symmetric cryptography algorithms that depend on a single key for encryption and decryption, the keys of asymmetric cryptography have a very specific function: the public key is used to encrypt and the private key is used to decrypt. It is impossible to compute the private key from the public key. This is why public keys can be shared safely, allowing users to benefit from an easy and convenient method of content encryption and digital signature verification. Private keys remain secret, which ensures that only their owner can decrypt content and create digital signatures.