Public key vs. conventional key encryption

As distributed computer systems grow and their convenience attracts uses for which maintenance of privacy and security is important, the means by which encryption is integrated into these systems also becomes important. Encryption is the only practical way by which secure, private communication can be conducted while employing untrusted media to carry the transmission. The interest has spurred developments in the use of conventional encryption algorithms and there is even a federal standard algorithm for commercial use. 4 In addition, an innovative approach to encryption, called public key algorithms, has recently been proposed as a way to address many of the key distribution and other problems which are present in conventional algorithm-based approaches.