What is Cryptography?
September 09, 2024
Introduction
Cryptography is coding or hiding information so the intended audience can read and process it. It has been used for thousands of years and can be traced to Egyptian hieroglyphics. Ancient cryptography was often very simple, and involved a direct translation from one thing to another. Modern cryptography uses algorithms and ciphers to encrypt and decrypt messages. The message from the sender starts as plaintext, such as “dog123”, and gets encrypted into ciphertext, which is unreadable data. Then, the intended recipient receives the ciphertext and decrypts it back into plaintext for use.
Cryptography aims to protect users’ data and information, ensure confidentiality, and prevent cyber criminals from accessing sensitive information. It provides privacy and confidentiality by not allowing certain users to look in on sensitive documentation or data. Cryptography also allows verification of authenticity by proving the integrity of the message as well as confirming the accountability and responsibility of the sender’s message.
In this day and age where technology is advancing, we must protect our information as much as possible, and learning about these methods is important to how companies handle our data.
Types of Cryptography
There are three common types of cryptography that are commonly used in modern times:
Symmetric-key encryption/Single-key algorithms each use one key to encrypt the message from the sender. Once the encrypted message reaches the receiver, it uses the same key to decrypt the message. The main security issue with this is how to transfer the key between users. Anyone with the key can easily decrypt the message, so if the wrong person obtains the key the entire cryptography is rendered useless. This can be used for:
- Card transactions
- Payment applications
- Random number generators
- Signature verification to verify the identity of the sender
Asymmetric-key encryption/Public-key algorithms use a pair of keys to encrypt and decrypt the message. The sender uses a public key to encrypt the message. Once the encrypted message gets to the receiver, the receiver uses their private key to decrypt the message. This increases security because a key isn’t passed from sender to receiver. This can be used for:
- Email messages
- SIM card authentication
- Web security
- Exchange of private keys
Hash functions don’t use a key, but rather a hashed value based on the length of the message. This ensures that the message is not compromised or altered. It also allows another level of security, because it doesn’t reveal the original imputed data. This is very helpful for checking the integrity of messages, as the original content can’t be obtained. This can be used for:
- Password storage
- Digital signatures
- Message security
- Data integrity
Who uses Cryptography?
Anybody can use cryptography. Individuals can use cryptography to encrypt and protect their data, before sending it to a receiver. Organizations and businesses use it to protect their company’s or users’ information from hackers in case of data leaks and breaches. Branches of government also use cryptography to keep their information confidential from outside access.
Conclusion
As technology advances, so does the need for the protection of our information. Cryptography is important to ensure that our information remains confidential. If our information was stolen, we would be susceptible to fraud and identity theft. Cryptography is one of many tools used to protect our information and identity. Knowing the uses of this tool can help inform the public about how our data is being protected.
Sources
https://www.okta.com/identity-....