Internet communication is like sending postcards in the mail. Anyone who is interested can read an Internet message. Encryption offers the digital equivalent of a sealed envelope. Authentication identifies an entity such as an individual, a machine on the network, or an organization. Digital signatures bind a document to the owner of a particular key and are the digital equivalent of paper signatures.
All cryptographic technologies make use of sophisticated mathematical techniques.
For more information on cryptography, please see RSA's Frequently Asked Questions . All Rights Reserved.