Tuesday, December 26, 2023

What is Cryptography and its Types?

 Cryptography is the use of codes to protect data and messages so that only the right people can read and process them. So, unauthorized people can't get to the information. The word "crypt" means "hidden," and "graphy" means "writing." The methods used in cryptography to keep data safe come from math ideas and a group of rule-based calculations called algorithms that change messages in complicated ways that are hard to figure out. These algorithms create cryptographic keys, sign digital files, and check that they are correct in order to protect data privacy, web browsing, and private transactions like credit card and debit card transactions. 


Techniques Used in Cryptography: In this day and age of computers, cryptography is usually linked to the process of changing plain text into cipher text, which is text that is changed so that only the person who is supposed to read it can decode it. This is called encryption. When cipher text is turned back into plain text, this is called decryption. 


Features Of Cryptography are as follows:


  1. Confidentiality: Confidentiality means that only the person who is supposed to see the information can see it. No one else can see it.


  1. Integrity: Information can't be changed while it's being stored or sent from one person to another without any extra information being noticed.


  1. Non-repudiation: Non-repudiation means that the person who created or sent the information cannot later say that he did not mean to send it.


  1. Authentication: The sender and receiver's identities are checked. As well as the source and destination of the information are both confirmed.


Different Kinds of Crypto: There are three main types of cryptography:


Symmetric Key Cryptography

 

When someone sends or receives a message, they both use the same key to encrypt and decrypt it. This is called symmetric key cryptography. It's faster and easier to use symmetric key systems, but the sender and receiver have to find a safe way to trade keys. There are a lot of different symmetric key cryptography systems, but the two most common ones are DES and AES.


Hash Functions


When it comes to hash functions, this algorithm doesn't use any keys. Based on the plain text, a hash value with a fixed length is calculated. This makes it impossible to get back the contents of the plain text. A lot of operating systems protect passwords with hash functions.


Asymmetric Key Cryptography


When you encrypt and decrypt data with asymmetric key cryptography, you use a pair of keys. The public key of a receiver sets the encryption, and the private key of a receiver clears the encryption. Private Key and Public Key are not the same thing. Anyone who knows the public key can decode it, but only the person who knows the private key can figure out what it means. The RSA algorithm is the most well-known asymmetric key cryptography algorithm.  


As you delve into the intricate realm of cryptography, if you find yourself seeking expert guidance or assistance with assignments, Cryptography Assignment Help is your dedicated partner. Explore our specialized services here to ensure a comprehensive understanding of digital signatures and enhance your proficiency in this fascinating field.

Applications Of Cryptography


Computer passwords: Cryptography is used a lot in computer security, especially when making and remembering passwords. A user's password is hashed and compared to a hash that was already saved when they log in. The hash and encryption of passwords are done before they are stored. With this method, the passwords are encrypted, so a hacker who gets into the database of passwords can't read the passwords.


Electronic Money: Cryptography is also used by digital currencies like Bitcoin to protect transactions and stop fraud. To keep transactions safe, complicated algorithms and cryptographic keys are used. This makes it very hard to change or fake the transactions. 


Safe surfing the web: Cryptography keeps people safe when they browse the web because it stops people from listening in or attacking from the middle. The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols use public key cryptography to encrypt data sent between the client and the web server. This makes the connection between the two safe.


Electronic signatures: These are used to sign documents and are like a handwritten signature but better because they are digital. Cryptography is used to make digital signatures, and public key cryptography can be used to check their authenticity. E-signature laws are becoming more common in many countries, and more and more people are using them. 


Authentication: Cryptography is used for authentication in a lot of different situations, like when you log into a computer, access a bank account, or use a secure network. Authentication protocols use cryptography to make sure that the user is who they say they are and that they have the right permissions to access the resource.


Cryptocurrencies: To protect transactions, stop fraud, and keep the network's integrity, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum use cryptography a lot. To keep transactions safe, complicated algorithms and cryptographic keys are used. This makes it very hard to change or fake the transactions. 


End-to-End Encryption: This type of encryption can protect two-way conversations, such as video calls, instant messages, and emails. Even if the message is encrypted, it will still be read only by the people who are supposed to see it.  Communication apps like WhatsApp and Signal use end-to-end encryption a lot. It gives users a high level of security and privacy.


The pros 


Access Control: To make sure that only people who are allowed to see a resource can see it, cryptography can be used for access control. Because the resource is encrypted, only people who have the right decryption key can get to it.


Secure Communication: Cryptography is very important for safe online communication. It gives you safe ways to send private data over the internet, like passwords, bank account numbers, and other sensitive information.


Protection from attacks: Cryptography helps protect against different types of attacks, such as replay and man-in-the-middle attacks. There are ways to spot and stop these attacks in this book.


Compliance with the law: Cryptography can help businesses meet many types of legal requirements, such as privacy and data protection laws.

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