Public Key

From DBWiki

A public key is used when creating a digital signature. A public key is much like a business card or your telephone number in that it identifies who you are to other people and you are comfortable with distributing it to people you know.

A public key works with a private key to create a digital signature that is incredibly difficult to forge and thus provides a very reliable means of validating a person's identity online. Unlike private keys, public keys can be distributed freely and openly without compromising your identify online... in fact, you want as many people to have access to your public key as possible so that they may more easily verify that a particular message came from you.