Protecting Data Through Encryption

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Algorithm: The American Heritage Dictionary defines an algorithm as "a step-by-step problem-solving procedure, especially an established, recursive computational procedure for solving a problem in a finite number of steps." In the context of encryption, an algorithm is the mathematical formula used to scramble and unscramble data. It typically has two elements: data (for example, an email message that you want to encrypt or decrypt) and a key.

Asymmetric Cryptography: (Also known as public key cryptography.) Encryption software that requires two keys: a public key and a private key. Encryption software users distribute their public key, but keep their private key to themselves.

Authentication: Assuring that a message has not been modified in transit or while stored on a computer is referred to as authentication. It is one of the objectives of cryptography. (This is referred to as message authentication or message integrity.) Assuring that a public key really belongs to a specific individual, or that a specific individual has the right to send a particular encrypted message is another type of authentication.

Back Door: A "back door" is a software function that allows someone to decrypt data without the key. In some cases, software creators intentionally include this function in software. Software that has a back door is not secure.

Certificate : A certificate is a data file that identifies an individual, organization, or business. Certificates are obtained from specialized certificate-issuing companies such as VeriSign, and can be used to encrypt data and/or confirm the certificate owner's identity.

Cipher, Block Cipher, Stream Cipher : A method of encryption and decryption, a.k.a. encryption algorithm.

• • A Block Cipher is a method for encrypting data in chunks (several or many contiguous bits) as opposed to encoding bit-by-bit like a stream cipher.
• • A Stream Cipher is a method of encrypting data bit-by-bit, as opposed to encoding a contiguous chunk of data all at once like a block cipher.