Durgapur Institute Of
Management And
Science
2024
INFORMATION SECURITY
Topic – Cryptography
Name – Rohan Basky
BCA
2022 - 2025
INTRODUCTION
Cryptography is a technique of securing
communication by converting plain text into
ciphertext. It involves various algorithms and
protocols to ensure data confidentiality, integrity,
authentication, and non-repudiation. In this article, we
will discuss cryptography and its types.
What is Cryptography?
Cryptography is a technique of securing information and
communications through the use of codes so that only those
persons for whom the information is intended can
understand and process it. Thus preventing unauthorized
access to information. The prefix “crypt” means “hidden” and
the suffix “graphy” means “writing”.
In Cryptography, the techniques that are used to protect
information are obtained from mathematical concepts and a
set of rule-based calculations known as algorithms to
convert messages in ways that make it hard to decode them.
These algorithms are used for cryptographic key generation,
digital signing, and verification to protect data privacy, web
browsing on the internet and to protect confidential
transactions such as credit card and debit card transactions.
FEATURES
Features Of Cryptography
✓ Confidentiality: Information can only be accessed
by the person for whom it is intended and no other
person except him can access it.
✓ Integrity: Information cannot be modified in
storage or transition between sender and intended
receiver without any addition to information being
detected.
✓ Authentication: The identities of the sender and
receiver are confirmed. As well destination/origin
of the information is confirmed.
✓ Interoperability: Cryptography allows for secure
communication between different systems and
platforms.
✓ Adaptability: Cryptography continuously evolves
to stay ahead of security threats and technological
advancements.
TYPES
Types Of Cryptography
1. Symmetric Key Cryptography
It is an encryption system where the sender and receiver of a
message use a single common key to encrypt and decrypt
messages. Symmetric Key cryptography is faster and simpler
but the problem is that the sender and receiver have to
somehow exchange keys securely. The most popular
symmetric key cryptography systems are Data Encryption
Systems (DES) and Advanced Encryption Systems (AES).
2. Hash Functions
There is no usage of any key in this algorithm. A hash value
with a fixed length is calculated as per the plain text which
makes it impossible for the contents of plain text to be
recovered. Many operating systems use hash functions to
encrypt passwords.
3. Asymmetric Key Cryptography
In Asymmetric Key Cryptography, a pair of keys is used to
encrypt and decrypt information. A receiver’s public key is
used for encryption and a receiver’s private key is used for
decryption. Public keys and Private keys are different. Even
if the public key is known by everyone the intended receiver
can only decode it because he alone knows his private key.
The most popular asymmetric key cryptography algorithm is
the RSA algorithm.
APPLICATION
Applications of Cryptography
• Computer passwords: Cryptography is widely utilized
in computer security, particularly when creating and
maintaining passwords. When a user logs in, their
password is hashed and compared to the hash that was
previously stored. Passwords are hashed and encrypted
before being stored. In this technique, the passwords are
encrypted so that even if a hacker gains access to the
password database, they cannot read the passwords.
• Authentication: Cryptography is used for
authentication in many different situations, such as
when accessing a bank account, logging into a computer,
or using a secure network. Cryptographic methods are
employed by authentication protocols to confirm the
user’s identity and confirm that they have the required
access rights to the resource.
• Cryptocurrencies: Cryptography is heavily used by
cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum to protect
transactions, thwart fraud, and maintain the network’s
integrity. Complex algorithms and cryptographic keys
are used to safeguard transactions, making it nearly
hard to tamper with or forge the transactions.
TYPES OF ALGORITHM
Types of Cryptography Algorithm
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES): AES (Advanced
Encryption Standard) is a popular encryption algorithm which
uses the same key for encryption and decryption It is a
symmetric block cipher algorithm with block size of 128 bits,
192 bits or 256 bits. AES algorithm is widely regarded as the
replacement of DES (Data encryption standard) algorithm
Data Encryption Standard (DES): DES (Data encryption
standard) is an older encryption algorithm that is used to
convert 64-bit plaintext data into 48-bit encrypted ciphertext.
It uses symmetric keys (which means same key for encryption
and decryption). It is kind of old by today’s standard but can
be used as a basic building block for learning newer
encryption algorithms.
RSA: RSA is an basic asymmetric cryptographic algorithm
which uses two different keys for encryption. The RSA
algorithm works on a block cipher concept that converts plain
text into cipher text and vice versa.
Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA): SHA is used to generate
unique fixed-length digital fingerprints of input data known as
hashes. SHA variations such as SHA-2 and SHA-3 are
commonly used to ensure data integrity and authenticity. The
tiniest change in input data drastically modifies the hash
output, indicating a loss of integrity. Hashing is the process of
storing key value pairs with the help of a hash function into a
hash table.
ADVANTAGES
Advantages of Cryptography
• Access Control: Cryptography can be used for
access control to ensure that only parties with the
proper permissions have access to a resource. Only
those with the correct decryption key can access the
resource thanks to encryption.
• Secure Communication: For secure online
communication, cryptography is crucial. It offers
secure mechanisms for transmitting private
information like passwords, bank account numbers,
and other sensitive data over the Internet.
• Protection against attacks: Cryptography aids in
the defense against various types of assaults,
including replay and man-in-the-middle attacks. It
offers strategies for spotting and stopping these
assaults.
• Compliance with legal requirements:
Cryptography can assist firms in meeting a variety
of legal requirements, including data protection and
privacy legislation.
