February 1978 | R. L. Rivest, A. Shamir, and L. Adleman
This paper introduces a novel encryption method that allows for secure communication without the need for secure key distribution. The method is based on a public-key cryptosystem, where the encryption key is publicly available, while the decryption key remains private. This property ensures that only the intended recipient can decrypt messages encrypted with their public key, and that messages can be signed using their private key, which can be verified by anyone with the corresponding public key. The security of the system relies on the difficulty of factoring large numbers, specifically the product of two large prime numbers. The paper outlines the encryption and decryption processes, including the generation of the public and private keys, and provides an efficient algorithm for these operations. It also discusses the mathematical foundations, including the use of Euler's totient function and the multiplicative inverse in modular arithmetic. The authors challenge readers to find a way to "break" the system, emphasizing the importance of its security. The method has potential applications in electronic mail and electronic funds transfer systems, offering both privacy and authentication.This paper introduces a novel encryption method that allows for secure communication without the need for secure key distribution. The method is based on a public-key cryptosystem, where the encryption key is publicly available, while the decryption key remains private. This property ensures that only the intended recipient can decrypt messages encrypted with their public key, and that messages can be signed using their private key, which can be verified by anyone with the corresponding public key. The security of the system relies on the difficulty of factoring large numbers, specifically the product of two large prime numbers. The paper outlines the encryption and decryption processes, including the generation of the public and private keys, and provides an efficient algorithm for these operations. It also discusses the mathematical foundations, including the use of Euler's totient function and the multiplicative inverse in modular arithmetic. The authors challenge readers to find a way to "break" the system, emphasizing the importance of its security. The method has potential applications in electronic mail and electronic funds transfer systems, offering both privacy and authentication.