Question about private key and public key

bubble2005

When you use the terminology private and public keys, does it mean asymmetric private and public keys or the private key as in secret key using symmetric and public key using asymmetric?

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Mishra

Most of the time we are meaning asymmetric cryptography when referring to PKI. I don't think symmetric cryptography is used much anymore but someone can correct me on that if they wish.

bubble2005

Ok because I was doing a Sybex practice test and the question wasWhich of the following statements is true of the S/MIME security features?

Doesn't S/MIME use symmetric encryption algorithms?
I think this book is misleading.

Mishra

I don't see the question. But yes it uses symmetric encryption.

http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/expert/KnowledgebaseAnswer/0,289625,sid14_gci1273181_tax299967,00.html

bubble2005

Ha ha, I KNEW I was right. I watched all of CBT Nuggets and read syngress, now this dumb Sybex book was telling me other wise on the practice test. :P Thanks, really appreciate it.