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Redirect|Encrypt|the film|Encrypt (film)About|algorithms for encryption and decryption|an overview of cryptographic technology in general|CryptographyIn cryptography , encryption is the process of transforming information (referred to as plaintext ) using an algorithm (called a cipher ) to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key (cryptography)|key . The result of the process is encrypted information (in cryptography, referred to as ciphertext ). anchor|decryptionThe reverse process, i.e., to make the encrypted information readable again, is referred to as decryption (i.e., to make it unencrypted).cn|date=April 2012In many contexts, the word encryption may also implicitly refer to the reverse process, decryption e.g. “ encryption software|software for encryption ” can typically also perform decryption.citation needed|date=December 2011Encryption has long been used by militaries and governments to facilitate secret communication. It is now commonly used in protecting information within many kinds of civilian systems. For example, the Computer Security Institute reported that in 2007, 71% of companies surveyed utilized encryption for some of their data in transit, and 53% utilized encryption for some of their data in storage.Robert Richardson, 2008 CSI Computer Crime and Security Survey at 19. Online at http://i.cmpnet.com/v2.gocsi.com/pdf/CSIsurvey2008.pdf i.cmpnet.com Encryption can be used to protect data "at rest", such as files on computers and storage devices (e.g. USB flash drives ). In recent years there have been numerous reports of confidential data such as customers' personal records being exposed through loss or theft of laptops or backup drives. Encrypting such files at rest helps protect them should physical security measures fail. Digital rights management systems which prevent unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted material and protect software against reverse engineering (see also copy protection ) are another somewhat different example of using encryption on data at rest.cn|date=April 2012Encryption is also used to protect data in transit, for example data being transferred via computer network|networks (e.g. the Internet , e-commerce ), mobile telephone s, wireless microphone s, wireless intercom systems, Bluetooth devices and bank automatic teller machine s. There have been numerous reports of data in transit being intercepted in recent years.Fiber Optic Networks Vulnerable to Attack, Information Security Magazine, November 15, 2006, Sandra Kay Miller Encrypting data in transit also helps to secure it as it is often difficult to physically secure all access to networks.cn|date=April 2012Encryption, by itself, can protect the confidentiality of messages, but other techniques are still needed to protect the integrity and authenticity of a message; for example, verification of a message authentication code (MAC) or a digital signature . Standards and cryptographic software and hardware to perform encryption are widely available, but successfully using encryption to ensure security may be a challenging problem. A single slip-up in system design or execution can allow successful attacks. Sometimes an adversary can obtain unencrypted information without directly undoing the encryption. See, e.g., traffic analysis , TEMPEST , or Trojan horse (computing)|Trojan horse .cn|date=April 2012One of the earliest public key encryption applications was called Pretty Good Privacy (PGP). It was written in 1991 by Phil Zimmermann and was purchased by Symantec in 2010.cite web|url= http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9176121/Symantec_buys_encryption_specialist_PGP_for_300M |title=Symantec buys encryption specialist PGP for $300M |publisher=Computerworld |date=2010-04-29 |accessdate=2010-04-29
Digital signature and encryption must be applied at message creation time (i.e. on the same device it has been composed) to avoid tampering. Otherwise any node between the sender and the encryption agent could potentially tamper it.cn|date=April 2012
See also
Portal|Cryptography
Brute-force attack
Cipher
Cold boot attack
Cryptography
Cyberspace Electronic Security Act (in the US)
Disk encryption
Encryption software
Key (cryptography)|Key
Key management
Notes
refimprove|date=December 2011Reflist
References
Helen Fouché Gaines, “Cryptanalysis”, 1939, Dover. ISBN 0-486-20097-3
David Kahn (writer)|David Kahn , The Codebreakers - The Story of Secret Writing (ISBN 0-684-83130-9) (1967)
Abraham Sinkov , Elementary Cryptanalysis: A Mathematical Approach , Mathematical Association of America, 1966. ISBN 0-88385-622-0
External links
Wiktionary|encryption
http://www.securitydocs.com/Encryption SecurityDocs Resource for encryption whitepapers
