2.3.2.2 Cryptographic Keys

RMS uses both symmetric and asymmetric (also known as public-key) cryptography. Cryptography in RMS is used to protect various certificates, licenses, and content. This functionality provides organizations with a seamless way to protect and unprotect content without requiring their users to have any knowledge of the underlying system.

Symmetric-key cryptography refers to encryption methods in which the key that was used to encrypt information is the same key that decrypts the information. In asymmetric cryptography, there are two keys, a public key and a private key. The keys are mathematically related but it is not computationally feasible to determine one key with only the other. The public key can be freely distributed and is generally used to encrypt data or verify signatures. The private key is kept secret and is generally used for decrypting and signing data.