The difference between private and public keys is one is used to encrypt, while the other is used to decrypt. A public key is used to encrypt information, essentially making it unreadable to anyone who is not the intended recipient. Then that recipient holds a private key with which they are then able to decrypt the information. Also, a public key is publicly available to a set of users who would need to confidentially send information confidentially. For example, someone’s public key would be available to their colleagues within an organization via a shared directory. Conversely a private key is accessible only by the person receiving the information, and therefore would be the only person able to successfully decrypt what was encrypted. Together, public and private keys ensure information, data, and communications are encrypted before it is then safely transmitted and decrypted by the appropriate party.