Public Key Cryptography (PKC)
- Type of cryptography in which the encryption process is publicly available and unprotected, but in which a part of the decryption key is protected so that only a party with knowledge of both parts of the decryption process can decrypt the cipher text. NOTE: Commonly called non-secret encryption in professional cryptologic circles. FIREFLY is an application of public key cryptography. (F:\NEWDEFS. TXT)