What is a .PUBLIC file?
The .PUBLIC file extension is associated with OpenSSL, a security tool used for creating cryptographic keys, among other functions. Specifically, a file with a .PUBLIC extension contains a public key using RSA encryption. This key is part of a key pair that includes a private key and a public key. The public key in the .PUBLIC file is used to encrypt data that can only be decrypted by the corresponding private key. This is commonly used in securing communications between a web browser and a web server, such as when setting up an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate to enable HTTPS on websites. Web administrators typically generate this file during the SSL certificate installation process on a web server.
Programs that can open .PUBLIC files: - Any text editor (like Microsoft Notepad, which is included with Windows OS, or Apple TextEdit, which is included with macOS) - Vim: A powerful text editor used in many Unix-like systems. - GNU Emacs: An extensible, customizable text editor also available for many operating systems. - Chrome OS built-in text editor: Available on devices running Chrome OS. - Since GitHub Atom has been discontinued, it is no longer recommended for opening these files.
These programs allow you to view and edit the contents of .PUBLIC files, which are essentially text files containing the encrypted key data.
Verification
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