## Encryption Basics

Turning "Plaintext" into "Ciphertext".

### Symmetric Encryption (Shared Key)
*   **Concept**: Same key locks and unlocks.
*   **Algorithms**: AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), DES (Legacy), 3DES.
*   **Pros**: Fast. Good for large data (Hard Drives, Zip files).
*   **Cons**: Key Distribution problem. How do I send you the key securely?

### Asymmetric Encryption (Public Key)
*   **Concept**: Key Pair.
    *   **Public Key**: You give to everyone. Encrypts data.
    *   **Private Key**: You accept. Decrypts data.
*   **Algorithms**: RSA, ECC (Elliptic Curve).
*   **Pros**: Secure key exchange.
*   **Cons**: Slow. CPU intensive.

### Hybrid Encryption (HTTPS/TLS)
We use Asymmetric to exchange the key, then Symmetric to transfer the data. best of both worlds.