View source for Tutorials:Encrypt / Decrypt a message

= Quest: Send an encrypted Message =

'''Example:'''  

* You want to send a secret message to The Beginners Guide.  
* For that you need The Beginners Guide '''Public Key'''.  
* You use the Public Key to encrypt the message.  

 
The encrypted message can be sent through a public channel and be visible to all, but only The Beginners Guide can decrypt it using the '''Private Key''' corresponding to the '''Public Key''' used to encrypt it.  


== Advantages of Public/Private Key Cryptography ==

* This method allows two unknown persons to send encrypted messages to each other simply by sharing their Public Keys.  
* '''Public and Private Key Pairs''' are at the heart of cryptocurrency technology:  

  * They match each other like a lock and key.

==Task: Send an encrypted Message to The Beginners Guide==

The Beginners Guide (TBG) public Key:

03e5ab3177320108be0ebafa44a23fc199b0e07fa81dcf35711d923d6da298e950

Now you can send us encrypted messages over public channels, such as Reddit,
and only we will be able to read them.


'''Task:''' 

# Use the encrypt/decrypt tool in Electrum's wallet to encrypt a message. 
# Input TBG Public key. 
# Type a message (a single word will do) and hit "encrypt". 
# To complete the quest copy and paste the encrypted message in Zealy.

 Warning: Sometimes copying and pasting can include a blank character at the end or beginning, and this will cause the encryption / decryption to fail. In the picture below, the Public Key has an extra blank space at the end, so it is invisible, but the decryption fails.

[[File:Decrypt failed.jpg |400px]]