Which encryption method is associated with asymmetric encryption?

• A. RSA
• B. AES
• C. DES
• D. IDEA

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is the distinction between asymmetric and symmetric encryption. Asymmetric encryption uses a pair of keys—a public key that can be shared openly and a private key that remains secret. Data encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted with the private key, enabling secure key exchange and digital signatures without needing to share a secret key in advance. RSA is a well-known algorithm that implements this public-key approach, so it is associated with asymmetric encryption.

The other algorithms listed are symmetric, meaning they rely on the same secret key for both encryption and decryption. They’re fast for handling large amounts of data, which is why they’re commonly used for bulk encryption, often after a public-key method (like RSA) securely delivers a session key for symmetric encryption.