Cryptography Basics
Cryptography is the science of protecting information by transforming it so that only authorized parties can read it. You use cryptography to keep data private and secure, whether it is stored on a server or sent across a network. This is essential for protecting sensitive information such as passwords, personal details, and financial transactions from attackers.
When you use cryptography, you rely on mathematical techniques to scramble data into an unreadable format. Only someone with the correct secret key or password can turn the data back into its original form.
There are two main types of encryption:
- Symmetric encryption: you use the same secret key to both encrypt (scramble) and decrypt (unscramble) the data;
- Asymmetric encryption: you use two different keysβa public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.
Symmetric encryption is usually faster and is often used for protecting large amounts of data. Asymmetric encryption is more secure for sharing data between parties who have not met before, because you do not need to share the private key. Understanding both methods is fundamental for keeping applications and user data safe.
Common Use Cases of Cryptography
Cryptography is essential for protecting information and ensuring secure interactions in modern applications. Here are some common use cases:
- Encrypting sensitive data: you use cryptography to protect data such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal details so that only authorized users can access the information;
- Securing communications: cryptographic protocols like TLS encrypt data sent between clients and servers, preventing attackers from reading or altering messages as they travel across networks;
- Verifying integrity: cryptographic hashes and digital signatures allow you to confirm that data has not been tampered with, ensuring that files, messages, or transactions remain trustworthy.
By applying cryptography in these scenarios, you reduce the risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, and manipulation of critical information.
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Cryptography is the science of protecting information by transforming it so that only authorized parties can read it. You use cryptography to keep data private and secure, whether it is stored on a server or sent across a network. This is essential for protecting sensitive information such as passwords, personal details, and financial transactions from attackers.
When you use cryptography, you rely on mathematical techniques to scramble data into an unreadable format. Only someone with the correct secret key or password can turn the data back into its original form.
There are two main types of encryption:
- Symmetric encryption: you use the same secret key to both encrypt (scramble) and decrypt (unscramble) the data;
- Asymmetric encryption: you use two different keysβa public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.
Symmetric encryption is usually faster and is often used for protecting large amounts of data. Asymmetric encryption is more secure for sharing data between parties who have not met before, because you do not need to share the private key. Understanding both methods is fundamental for keeping applications and user data safe.
Common Use Cases of Cryptography
Cryptography is essential for protecting information and ensuring secure interactions in modern applications. Here are some common use cases:
- Encrypting sensitive data: you use cryptography to protect data such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal details so that only authorized users can access the information;
- Securing communications: cryptographic protocols like TLS encrypt data sent between clients and servers, preventing attackers from reading or altering messages as they travel across networks;
- Verifying integrity: cryptographic hashes and digital signatures allow you to confirm that data has not been tampered with, ensuring that files, messages, or transactions remain trustworthy.
By applying cryptography in these scenarios, you reduce the risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, and manipulation of critical information.
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