Public key cryptography uses a series of numerical data in order to provide encryption for digital certificates. This encryption sequence is contained in, what is called a public key. The public key is used to authenticate with online and network systems when a connection is made. Without the correct key, the user is denied access.
Public Key Cryptography Authenticates Public Keys against a Private Key
The authentication processes used by public key cryptography involves using a complicated mathematical computation to obtain a numerical result. This answer must match the private key computation in order to be authenticated. The numerical data in a private key is completely different from the data held in the public key, so they cannot be interchanged or hacked. However, it is important to point out, that both the private key and public key certificates must be created at the same time, in order to match.