Encrypting Sensitive E-Mail Communications: Choosing an Encryption Protocol

The choice of an encryption key type (i.e. symmetric vs. asymmetric) is a crucial part of the development of an encryption architecture. There are important differences between these key types from both an IT security and a management perspective. Choosing the appropriate key requires weighing an organization's security needs against the cost of implementing and maintaining the chosen encryption solution. This note provides information to assist IT managers in choosing between symmetric and asymmetric key encryption.