Elgamal algorithm

The Elgamal algorithm is used in the Diffie-Hellman method( DHA) for asymmetric encryption. It is characterized by high security and is calculated using discrete logarithms.

The Elgamal method, named after its inventor Taher Elgamal, is a public- key method in which the owner of the key pair selects a prime number and two random numbers that must be smaller than the prime number. The public key is calculated from these three numbers; the private key is one of the random numbers.

The procedure was described as early as 1985 and is also used for encrypting digitalsignatures.