Managing Public Keys; Overview - HP 12500 Series Configuration Manual

Managing public keys

For information about FIPS mode, see

Overview

To protect data confidentiality during transmission, the data sender uses an algorithm and a key to
encrypt the plain text data before sending the data out, and the receiver uses the same algorithm with the
help of a key to decrypt the data, as shown in
Figure 57 Encryption and decryption
The keys that participate in the conversion between the plain text and the cipher text can be the same or
different, dividing the encryption and decryption algorithms into the following types:
• Symmetric key algorithm—The keys for encryption and decryption are the same.
Asymmetric key algorithm—The keys for encryption and decryption are different, one is the public
•
key, and the other is the private key. The information encrypted with the public key can only be
decrypted with the corresponding private key, and vice versa. The private key is kept secret, and the
public key may be distributed widely. The private key cannot be practically derived from the public
key. Asymmetric key algorithms include the Revest-Shamir-Adleman Algorithm (RSA), the Digital
Signature Algorithm (DSA), and the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA).
Asymmetric key algorithms can be used in two scenarios for two purposes:
To encrypt and decrypt data—The sender uses the public key of the intended receiver to encrypt the
•
information to be sent. Only the intended receiver, the holder of the paired private key, can decrypt
the information. This mechanism ensures confidentiality. Only RSA can be used for data encryption
and decryption.
• To authenticate a sender—Also called digital signature. The sender "signs" the information to be
sent by encrypting the information with its own private key. A receiver decrypts the information with
the sender's public key and, based on whether the information can be decrypted, determines the
authenticity of the information. RSA, DSA, and ECDSA can be used for digital signature.
Asymmetric key algorithms are widely used in various applications. For example, Secure Shell (SSH),
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) use the algorithms for digital signature. For
information about SSH, SSL, and PKI, see
NOTE:
The switch does not support ECDSA.
"Configuring FIPS."
Figure 57.
"Configuring SSH,"
155
"Configuring SSL," and "Configuring PKI."