RSA Encryption: Definition, Architecture, Benefits & Use

RSA allows you to secure messages before you send them. And the technique also lets you certify your notes, so recipients know they haven't been adjusted or altered while in transit.

The RSA algorithm is one of the most widely used encryption tools in use today. If you've used computers made by Samsung, Toshiba, and LG, you've probably used a device with an embedded RSA-enabled chip

Some people use RSA explicitly, and they dig deep into the math before they send any kind of message via an insecure service (like email). But some use RSA unknowingly when they sign on to secured websites. Their computers do the work behind the scenes, and sometimes, that work happens without their permission too.

RSA was once considered the gold standard of encryption security. But some experts believe that it's become too easy to hack. Others say it's never implemented properly, and that inaccuracy is responsible for the hacking risks. 

No matter how it's used or what you believe, it pays to know more about how RSA works, so you can be aware of the security risks you face.

What Is an RSA Algorithm? 

Before the mid-1970s, exchanging secure messages required a lot of coordination. Senders and recipients needed to share a secret code (or key). Without it, encrypted notes couldn't be decrypted. RSA changed everything. 

In 1977, three MIT colleagues began developing their own cryptographic system based on randomization, basic math, and prime numbers. It took the trio 42 tries to find a formula they considered unbreakable, and they named it by combining the first letters of their last names. 

Like other cryptographic algorithms, RSA transforms basic, readable data into something scrambled and twisted. Only a key can reverse the process. And RSA relies on a key made, in part, from prime numbers. 

In theory, a hacker could compute the value of a private key by analyzing the public version. But prime numbers are incredibly difficult to work with, especially if they're long. 

For example, organizations have held "RSA Factoring Challenges" to encourage mathematicians to break the code. A winning team in 2020 needed 2,700 years of running computer cores to carry out their mathematical formulas. It took months for them to complete it via thousands of machines all around the world. And that was considered a speed record.

How Does RSA Encryption Work?

RSA encryption relies on few basic assets and quite a