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rewrite header and note on Usage and terminology

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Tammi L. Coles 2023-10-13 15:34:45 +02:00 committed by Heiko Schaefer
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book/source/03-cryptography.md
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@ -97,16 +97,14 @@ It's important to note that in many scenarios, only the public key is exposed or
The public component of an asymmetric key pair The public component of an asymmetric key pair
``` ```
### Public-key cryptography in OpenPGP ### Usage and terminology in OpenPGP
OpenPGP makes heavy use of public-key cryptography, both for encryption and signing operations. OpenPGP extensively uses public-key cryptography for encryption and digital signing operations.
```{admonition} Terminology ```{admonition} Terminology
:class: note :class: note
For historical reasons, the OpenPGP RFC and other documentation often use the non-standard term "secret key" instead of the more common "private key." OpenPGP documentation, including the foundational RFC, opts for the term "secret key" over the more commonly used "private key." As a result, you'll encounter the "public/secret key" pairing more frequently than "public/private key." But don't worry; "secret key" and "private key" serve the same purpose in cryptographic operations. This terminology reflects historical preferences in the OpenPGP community, not a difference in technology.
So in OpenPGP, the pair of terms "public/secret key" is sometimes used instead of the more common "public/private key."
``` ```
### Cryptographic digital signatures ### Cryptographic digital signatures