As the world becomes more technologically advanced, the need to protect private information becomes more important. Encryption is a process that can be used to secure and lock away private information. This protects it from prying eyes and outside interference.
As encryption technology has become more advanced, so have the methods of cracking codes. As a result, encryption is now an ongoing, never ending battle between encryption software developers and code crackers who work to defeat them.
There are many different types of encryption, with different levels of complexity. Some are very useful for providing simple security for computer files and messages, while other types are much more complex and used for protecting sensitive information such as financial data and military communications.
This blog will help readers gain a basic understanding of how encryption works and what it is used for in today’s society.
Encryption is the process of converting information from a readable format to an unreadable one. Decryption is the reverse process, which turns encrypted data back into its original form. Encrypting information helps ensure that only authorized parties can access it. There are two main types of encryption: symmetric and asymmetric. Both forms of encryption use an encryption key to transform the data’s plaintext into its cyphertext (original unreadable format). Symmetric uses the same key for both encryption and decryption, whereas asymmetric uses a different key for each process.
Encryption has many uses in modern computing, from online shopping to sending personal documents via email. It is also used to protect information being transmitted over the Internet or stored on computers and hard drives. In this sense, it is important to understand that encryption does not make files 100 percent safe; it makes them more difficult to access. The best way to keep computer data secure is still through good practices, such as following safe Web surfing habits and backing up files regularly (see “Online Backup” and “File Backup” in Other articles).
Encryption uses algorithms, a list of instructions that includes operations that can be performed on data, or keys that change how the algorithm affects the data. These algorithms can
The word “encryption” is derived from the term “encode.” Encryption is the process of encoding information to protect it. For example, if you were to write a letter and then wanted to keep the letter secure so that only those who were intended to see it could read it, you would encrypt it by writing or typing random characters on top of your message. The message underneath would be your original message, and the coded message would be unreadable text to anyone but yourself.
Trying to read encrypted data without knowing how and with only having access to the cipher text (the encoded information) will result in the inability to decrypt or translate the message into readable format.
Encryption is the technique of encoding information in such a way that only authorized parties can read it. The unauthorized are unable to interpret or decrypt the encrypted information. Encryption can be used both to hide data, or to authenticate data (e.g., ensure it has not been modified and/or comes from specific sender).
Encryption itself does not prevent interference, but denies the intelligible content to the interceptor. The encrypting party must have the key to decrypt the message. Modern encryption relies on keys, which are long strings of data that are used to encrypt and decrypt messages. A good analogy of how encryption works is to think of it as a mailbox and an envelope. First, you write your message on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope with a lock on it. You then mail this sealed envelope to your recipient. When your recipient receives the envelope, he/she has a lockbox with a key to open the envelope, and retrieves the original message.
Since the invention of cryptography, encryption has been used to secure information. Encryption is simply a way to convert information into a secret code that can only be read by someone with a “key” to convert it back. Today, encryption is used everyday on computers, in online transactions, and in military applications.
Before encryption was invented, people communicated purely through spoken or written words. If you wanted to communicate something private, like troop movements or an upcoming attack, you would have to do so face-to-face in a secure area where you could be sure no one else was listening.
Cryptography allowed for the first time for people to communicate securely over long distances by converting the message into an unreadable format before sending it and then converting it back after it was received. This process is known as “encryption” or “scrambling” and the way of performing this process is known as a “cipher”. A cipher that uses symbols from the English alphabet is known as a “symmetric key algorithm”, while one that uses completely random symbols is known as an “asymmetric key algorithm”.
Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties (called adversaries). It includes creating systems (cryptosystems) that prevent third parties from understanding messages; and the theory behind such systems. Modern ciphers are based on mathematical algorithms, and do not use any kind of secret, perishable, hard-to-memorize passwords, although these older methods are still used, especially as part of a hybrid system. Cryptography includes techniques for message authentication (detecting message modification), data integrity (detecting message tampering) and non-repudiation (preventing a user from falsely denying sending a message).
Cryptography is used for many things. It’s used for protecting information and transactions. It’s used to ensure privacy and identity. It’s used to protect the secrecy of communications. Cryptography can be applied to any type of data. No matter the type, it has several characteristics: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Authenticity. Confidentiality means that only authorized users have access to data, while others are denied access. Data will be kept in secret at all times, including when it’s being transmitted or stored.
Cryptography protects the integrity of data by preventing unauthorized changes to the data while ensuring it remains unaltered as intended by its creator. In addition, cryptography prevents unauthorised parties from attributing a piece of information to an individual or entity that didn’t produce it. This ensures authenticity of the information in question from its originator.
The use of cryptography is not limited to government agencies and militaries. Businesses also employ the use of cryptography for their private communications, such as between departments or with suppliers. For example, an executive may want to send a confidential document to his supplier so that no other party can gain access to it—and since this is a business communication there should be no issue with sharing confidential information across both parties.