Diffie-Hellman
Diffie-Hellman is a cryptographic key exchange protocol that allows two parties to establish a shared secret key over an insecure communication channel, without prior knowledge of each other. It enables secure communication by deriving a symmetric key that can be used for encryption, ensuring that even if the channel is monitored, the key remains private. This protocol is foundational for secure internet protocols like TLS/SSL, SSH, and IPsec.
Developers should learn Diffie-Hellman when implementing secure communication systems, such as in web applications, VPNs, or messaging apps, to enable encrypted data exchange without pre-shared keys. It is essential for scenarios where parties need to authenticate and establish a secure session, such as in HTTPS connections for e-commerce or banking sites, to protect against eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks.