1977
Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman invent RSA
Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman invented the RSARivest–Shamir–Adleman — a widely used public-key encryption algorithm named after its inventors. public-key algorithm at MITMassachusetts Institute of Technology — a research university central to many computing breakthroughs. in 1977 — enabling encryption and digital signatureA cryptographic proof that data came from a specific key holder — used for authenticity, not secrecy.s at scale.
What it was for
RSARivest–Shamir–Adleman — a widely used public-key encryption algorithm named after its inventors. turned public-key theory into a practical algorithm used in TLSTransport Layer Security — encryption that protects data in transit on the web and networks. certificates, SSHSecure Shell — encrypted remote login, command execution, and file transfer over networks. host keys, and code signing for decades. Their 1978 Communications of the ACM paper spread RSARivest–Shamir–Adleman — a widely used public-key encryption algorithm named after its inventors. beyond academia into commercial security products.
People
- Ron Rivest — researcher
- Adi Shamir — researcher
- Leonard Adleman — researcher
Why it's here
RSARivest–Shamir–Adleman — a widely used public-key encryption algorithm named after its inventors. became the most widely deployed public-key algorithm of the pre-quantum era.
Why it mattered
It made digital signatureA cryptographic proof that data came from a specific key holder — used for authenticity, not secrecy.s and encrypted key transport practical for software systems.
What it solved
Public-key cryptography needed a concrete algorithm implementable on 1970s hardware.
Media
ImageRon RivestRonald L. Rivest, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Related
- Diffie–Hellman cryptography paperNovember 1976
- Cocks invents RSA at GCHQ1973