A PKI primarily manages which type of encryption?

A PKI, or Public Key Infrastructure, primarily manages asymmetric encryption. This type of encryption uses a pair of keys: a public key, which is shared openly, and a private key, which is kept secure by the owner. The fundamental advantage of asymmetric encryption is that it allows for secure communication between parties without the need for sharing a secret key.

PKI supports various functions such as digital signatures, which authenticate the identity of the sender, and secure communications by enabling the encryption of data using the recipient's public key. This ensures that only the recipient, possessing the corresponding private key, can decrypt and access the data.

In contrast, symmetric encryption relies on a single key for both encryption and decryption, which poses challenges for secure key exchange. Hashing is a process used to ensure data integrity rather than encryption, and steganography is a technique for hiding information within other data, which is different from traditional encryption methods. Thus, the relationship between a PKI and asymmetric encryption is foundational to its purpose in securing communications and transactions.