Cryptography: Everything You Need to Know!
Cryptography sounds mysterious and complicated. Mysterious? Perhaps. Complicated? Not anymore after reading this article! That is the goal, in any case. After reading this article, you will know everything you need to know about cryptography.
What is cryptography?
What is the history? What are the techniques? All this and more in this article! What is cryptography? Let's start at the beginning. What is cryptography exactly? Cryptography is a method of protecting information and messages by using codes so that only those for whom the information is intended can read and process it.
In computer science, cryptography refers to secure information and communication techniques derived from mathematical concepts and a series of rule-based calculations called algorithms to transform messages. This is done in a way that makes it difficult to decipher these messages.
These algorithms are used to generate cryptographic keys, digital signatures, verification to protect the privacy of data, browsing the internet, and confidential communication such as credit card transactions and even email.
The history of cryptography
Now that you have familiarised yourself with the concept of cryptography, it is worth delving into a brief history lesson. Cryptography is rooted in the Greek word kryptos, which translates to 'hidden'. The prefix "crypto" refers to something that is concealed or kept secret, while the suffix "graphy" denotes writing or recording.
Let us go back in time
Cryptography is believed to have originated around 3000 BC with the use of Egyptian hieroglyphs. These intricate symbols held a complex meaning that was only comprehensible to a select few in the society.
Later, cryptography gained further significance in the era of Julius Caesar (100 BC to 44 BC). Caesar was apprehensive about the security of his messages while communicating with his governors and officers. Hence, he devised a secret language system to ensure secure communication.
Cryptography in the present day
Recently, cryptography has become a battleground for the world's best mathematicians and computer scientists. The ability to securely store and transmit sensitive information has proven to be a critical factor for success in war and business.
Because governments do not want certain entities inside and outside their country to have access to ways to receive and transmit hidden information that could threaten national interests, cryptography is subject to various restrictions in many countries, ranging from restrictions on the use and export of software to the public dissemination of mathematical concepts that can be used to develop cryptosystems.
Thanks to the internet, the world of cryptography is no longer as mysterious as it used to be. Everyone now has access to the most advanced cryptosystems.
Techniques of cryptography
After our brief history lesson, it's time to examine the techniques closely. Cryptography is closely related to the disciplines of cryptology and cryptanalysis. It includes techniques such as microdots, merging words with images, and other ways to hide information during storage or transit.
In today's digital world, cryptography is usually associated with encrypting plain text into ciphertext (a process called encryption) and then translating it back into plain text (called, you guessed it, decryption).
Today, cryptography deals with these four pillars:
Confidentiality - a third party must not understand the information, and is strictly intended for the recipient(s).
Integrity - the sent information cannot be changed during storage or transit between sender and recipient without detected change.
Non-repudiation - the creator/sender of the information cannot deny their intentions in creating or transmitting the information at a later stage.
Authentication – both the sender and the recipient of the information can confirm each other's identity and the origin and destination of the information.
Types of cryptography
There are two types of cryptography currently: symmetric and asymmetric.
Symmetric
This is an encryption system in which the sender and receiver of the message use a common key to encrypt and decrypt messages. Symmetric key systems are faster and simpler, but the problem is that the sender and receiver must find a secure way to exchange keys. The most popular symmetric cryptography system is the Data Encryption System (DES).
Asymmetric
This system uses a key pair to encrypt and decrypt information. A public key is used for encryption and a private key for decryption. The public key and private key are different. Even if the public key is known to everyone, the recipient can only decipher it because only they know the private key.
What is cryptography used for?
If you're curious about the practical applications of cryptography in our daily lives, you'll be pleased to know that cryptography is ever-present. It plays a vital role in securing our digital world and works tirelessly behind the scenes in many everyday tasks. From making online purchases and performing banking transactions to sending emails and messaging on WhatsApp, cryptography safeguards all transmitted information in our Internet of Things (IoT) era, ensuring the authenticity of people, devices, and inter-device communications. Without cryptographic engines and functions, our modern world would grind to a halt, and all our valuable information would be vulnerable to potential abuse.
Cryptography and cryptocurrency
No article about cryptography would be comprehensive without exploring the impact of cryptocurrencies, which have gained massive popularity in recent years. Among the most widely recognised cryptocurrencies is Bitcoin, but what is the relationship between Bitcoin and cryptography?
Cryptocurrencies are based entirely on cryptographic principles. In 2009, Bitcoin was proposed by a pseudonymous individual or group known as Satoshi Nakamoto, who shared the idea via a whitepaper posted on a cryptographic message board.
One of the biggest challenges that Nakamoto tackled was the double-spend problem, where someone could make and spend multiple copies of their virtual currency. Because Bitcoin is purely code-based, this posed a significant issue. To resolve this issue, Nakamoto used a well-established cryptographic technique known as public-private key encryption, also known as asymmetric cryptography.
Asymmetric cryptography is employed by Bitcoin, Ethereum, and many other cryptocurrencies, and enables the recipient to decode the information using their private key. This ensures secure transactions without the need for intermediaries such as banks or PayPal.
Unleash the potential of cryptography in our digital world
Cryptography ensures that we can interact safely and confidentially with each other and with devices in our digital world. And now it turns out that it has been used historically as well. So not only can we communicate safely with each other, but it has also led to being able to transfer money without intermediaries. Who knows what else we can do with cryptography in the future.
Interested in what we can do for you in the field of cryptography? Feel free to contact us and we will be happy to assist you!
Cryptography is the practice of securing information by converting it into a coded format, which can only be read by someone who has the key to decrypt it.
he main goals of cryptography are confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity. Confidentiality ensures that only authorised parties can access the information. Integrity ensures that the information has not been tampered with or altered. Authenticity ensures that the information is genuine and comes from a trusted source.
The different types of cryptography include symmetric-key cryptography, public-key cryptography, and hash functions.
Symmetric-key cryptography involves using the same key to encrypt and decrypt information. The key is kept secret between the parties who are communicating.
Public-key cryptography involves using two keys: a public key, which is shared with anyone who wants to communicate with the owner of the key, and a private key, which is kept secret by the owner. Messages encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted with the private key.
Cryptography is used in online security to secure data transmitted over the internet, such as passwords, credit card details, and other sensitive information. It is also used to verify the authenticity of websites and prevent tampering with data.
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