Encryption

From Saferpedia

In cryptography, encryption is the process of transformation information using an algorithm to make it impossible to read for anybody, except those with special knowledge. The result of this process is the encrypted information. In many contexts the word encryption implies the irreversible process called decryption trough encrypted information are decrypted so they are readable again.

Encryption has been long used by militaries and governments to facilitate secret communication. Today, encryption is often used to protect information in many types of civil systems. For example, the Computer Security Institute reported that ȋn 2007, 71% of companies surveyed have used some of their encryption for data in transit and 53% have used encryption for stored data. Encryption can be used to protect data "at rest", such as data files from computers and storage media (USB flash drives). In recent years there have been numerous reports of exposures of confidential data such as personal records of clients or risks of theft of laptops or backups. Encrypting these files "at rest" helps to protect them where physical security measures failed.

Encryption is also used to protect data in transit, as example: data that is transferred through the network (Internet, electronic commerce), mobile phones, wireless microphones (wireless), Bluetooth devices and ATMs. In recent years there have been numerous reports of data intercepted in transit. Encrypting data in transit helps to secure their traffic, because often it is difficult to secure physical access to all networks.

Encryption, by itself, can protect the confidentiality of messages, but there are still needed other techniques to protect the integrity and authenticity of a message for example verification of digital signature or MAC code. Standards and cryptographic software and the hardware cryptography are widespread, but successfully using encryption to ensure security can be a challenging problem, even difficult. A single entry (forced) in the design or execution of the system can allow successful attacks. Sometimes an adversary can obtain unencrypted information without carrying out a decryption.

One of the first applications of public key encryption was called Pretty Good Privacy (PGP). It was written by Phil Zimmermann ȋn 1991 and was acquired ȋn 1997 by Network Associates (now PGP Corporation).

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