What does hybrid cryptography combine?

Hybrid cryptography effectively combines the strengths of both symmetric and asymmetric algorithms to enhance security and efficiency in data encryption.

Asymmetric algorithms, such as RSA, are used to securely exchange a symmetric key, while the symmetric algorithms, like AES, are employed to encrypt the actual data. This approach ensures that the encryption process is both secure and efficient. Asymmetric encryption is computationally intensive, making it less practical for encrypting large amounts of data, whereas symmetric encryption is faster and more suitable for handling bulk data encryption.

Thus, hybrid cryptography takes advantage of the speed of symmetric encryption and the secure key exchange properties of asymmetric encryption. This combination allows for secure communication that is manageable and efficient, mitigating the drawbacks of relying on one method alone.