The reason prime numbers are fundamental to RSA encryption is because when you multiply two together, the result is a number that can only be broken down into those primes (and itself an 1). ... But when you use much larger prime numbers for your p and q, it's pretty much impossible for computers to nut them out from N.

Why are primes so important?

Primes are of the utmost importance to number theorists because they are the building blocks of whole numbers, and important to the world because their odd mathematical properties make them perfect for our current uses.

How are prime numbers used in cybersecurity?

The RSA encryption system uses prime numbers to encrypt data. The reason for this is because of how difficult or hard it is to find the prime factorization. This system, which was developed by Ron Rivest, Leonard Adleman, and Adi Shamir, allows for secure transmission of data like credit card numbers online.