RSA refers to what type of cryptographic method?

RSA is a widely recognized public key cryptosystem that enables secure data transmission. It utilizes a pair of keys: a public key, which is used to encrypt data, and a private key, which is used for decryption. This asymmetric encryption method is fundamental in ensuring data confidentiality and integrity in various applications, such as secure communications over the internet.

While the public key system allows for secure exchanges and ensures that only the intended recipient, who holds the private key, can decrypt messages, the other options describe different concepts within cryptography. Hashing algorithms produce a fixed-size string of characters from input data but do not involve key pairs for encryption and decryption. Symmetric encryption techniques rely on a single key for both encryption and decryption, contrasting with the two-key approach of RSA. Digital certificate protocols are mechanisms used for verifying identities and establishing trust but are not inherently encryption methods on their own.

Understanding RSA's role as a public key cryptosystem is crucial, as it underpins many security protocols and contributes to the broader framework of modern cybersecurity.