Which term describes a cryptographic key that is intended to be distributed publicly to enable encryption?

• A. Private Key
• B. Symmetric Key
• C. Hash Key
• D. Public Key

Answer: (D)

Public-key cryptography relies on two keys: a public key that can be distributed openly and a private key that stays secret. The key described as being distributed publicly to enable encryption is the public key. Anyone can use it to encrypt a message for the key owner, and only the private key holder can decrypt it. This separation allows secure communication without sharing a secret key beforehand. In contrast, a private key is kept secret by the owner, a symmetric key would need to be shared securely between parties, and a hash key is not used for enabling encryption in the same way.