Pre-Shared Key
A Pre-Shared Key (PSK) is a symmetric cryptographic key that is shared between two or more parties in advance of secure communication, typically used for authentication and encryption in network protocols. It is a simple and widely used method for securing connections, such as in Wi-Fi networks (WPA-PSK), VPNs, and IoT devices, where it provides a shared secret to establish trust without complex public-key infrastructure.
Developers should learn about PSKs when implementing secure network communications in scenarios where simplicity, low overhead, or compatibility with legacy systems is prioritized, such as in home Wi-Fi setups, small-scale VPNs, or resource-constrained IoT devices. It is particularly useful in environments where setting up and managing certificates or other authentication mechanisms is impractical, but it requires careful key management to avoid security risks like key compromise.