Explain the complete hybrid encryption and decryption workflow, identifying the role of each key and the order in which the recipient acts.

### Why this is right The workflow uses two encryption stages for different objects. The symmetric key encrypts the document, while the recipient’s public key protects that symmetric key. The recipient must recover the symmetric key before decrypting the file. ### The concept The sender first creates or obtains a symmetric key and uses it to turn the readable document into ciphertext. The sender then encrypts the symmetric key with the recipient’s public key. The encrypted file and encrypted key are sent together. The recipient uses the matching private key to recover the symmetric key, then uses that recovered key to decrypt the file. The private key does not directly decrypt the document in this process. ### What a good answer covers - The symmetric key encrypts the document. - The recipient’s public key encrypts the symmetric key. - Both encrypted items are sent to the recipient. - The private key recovers the symmetric key before file decryption. - The recovered symmetric key decrypts the document. ### Terms - **Hybrid encryption**: Combining symmetric and asymmetric encryption. - **Ciphertext**: Data in encrypted form. - **Public key**: The recipient’s shareable key. - **Private key**: The recipient’s secret matching key. ### Remember In hybrid encryption, unlock the file key before using it to unlock the file.