Definition[]
The RSA algorithm is a patented public key cryptosystem for both encryption and authentication based on exponentiation in modular arithmetic.
Overview[]
The algorithm was invented in 1977 by Ronald L. Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adelman and is generally accepted as practical and secure for public key encryption. The RSA name is based on the last initials of its three inventors: Ronald L. Rivest, Adi Shamir and Leonard M. Adleman.