In an age where companies face breaches and intrusions on a daily basis, they need to make sure that their intellectual property and various confidential data is protected at every security level of the company. This is why private and public encryption and cryptography is implemented to safeguard that information.

Here's a great opportunity to craft a response that showcases your knowledge about public and private keys, and taking it a step further to give an example of how each key is used and for which function. Without going too deep, the hiring manager wants to hear you articulate the definitions of each, and how well you understand them. While you describe both keys, and what they represent, it would also be helpful to the hiring manager to explain the manner in which you use them in your current role. This helps the hiring manger gauge your level of expertise, and how involved you are with cryptography in your current role.