What is a primary weakness of asymmetric-key encryption?

Asymmetric-key encryption, also known as public-key encryption, does involve complex mathematical calculations that are necessary for encrypting and decrypting data. This complexity is a fundamental characteristic of asymmetric algorithms, such as RSA or ECC, which leverages pairs of keys—a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. The computational requirements for these cryptographic operations are significantly higher than those of symmetric-key encryption, which uses the same key for both operations and typically involves simpler algorithms.

As a result, asymmetric-key encryption is slower, especially when encrypting large amounts of data or when performing cryptographic operations that require significant processing power. This increased processing time can become a limiting factor in scenarios that require high-speed data transmission or real-time encryption and decryption.

The other options do not accurately capture the primary weaknesses of asymmetric encryption. Corruption during transfer can happen with any data transmission and is not unique to asymmetric encryption. Concerns about compromised standards may apply broadly to cryptographic systems in general, but do not specifically stem from the nature of asymmetric encryption itself. Difficulty in securely transferring portions of the key is usually not an issue because the public key is designed to be freely shared, while only the private key must be kept secure. Thus, the primary recognized