A digital envelope is like a secure electronic package for messages, keeping them safe during transmission. It uses a combination of encryption and data authentication to ensure the message’s privacy and integrity.
Imagine it as a special container: it combines the speed of secret key encryption (like a fast lock) with the convenience and security of public key encryption (like a complex key that only the intended recipient can unlock).
The RSA Public-Key Cryptography Standard, developed by Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman (RSA), is like the rulebook governing how this digital envelope works, ensuring a standardized and secure approach for encryption and digital signatures.
Sometimes, people also call a digital envelope a “digital wrapper” because it wraps the message in a protective layer.
To create a digital envelope, you can use methods like secret key encryption algorithms for encrypting the message itself, or the RSA public key encryption algorithm to encrypt a secret key with the recipient’s public key.
An example you might have heard of is Pretty Good Privacy (PGP). It’s like a popular security guard for your messages, providing cryptographic privacy and making sure the sender and receiver can trust the information being exchanged.