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SynAc
Term

Public Key

A public key is the publicly shared component of an asymmetric key pair used for encryption or signature verification.

Senses

Asymmetric cryptography

In public-key cryptography, the public key can be shared widely while the private key is kept secret. Public keys are used to verify signatures and (in some schemes) encrypt data for the private-key holder.

References
  • NIST CSRC GlossaryJan 05, 2026
    NIST CSRC Glossary — Public key
    https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/public_key
    NIST states most site information is public information and may be distributed or copied, except material marked as copyrighted; attribution requested. Verify per-document markings before quoting.
    Source: NIST CSRC Glossary (csrc.nist.gov).
Sense 2

A cryptographic key that may be widely published and is used to enable the operation of an asymmetric (public key) cryptographic algorithm.

The public part of an asymmetric key pair that is uniquely associated with an entity and that may be made public.

References
  • NICCS (CISA) Cybersecurity VocabularyJan 06, 2026
    NICCS glossary export (CSV)
    https://niccs.cisa.gov/rest/vocab/export-csv
    NICCS is a CISA (DHS) program. Individual glossary entries include a "From" attribution (e.g., CNSSI 4009, NIST SPs, NICE Framework). Treat "From" values as upstream provenance and verify before quoting large portions of text.
    Source: NICCS (CISA) Cybersecurity Vocabulary (niccs.cisa.gov).