Encryption
• Encryption alters data into a form that is unreadable by
anybody for whom the data is not intended. It cannot prevent the
data being intercepted, but it stops it from making any sense to
the eavesdropper. This is particularly important if the data is
sensitive or confidential.
Plain Text & Cipher Text
• Plaintext – the original text/message before it is put through an encryption
algorithm.
• Ciphertext – encrypted data that is the result of putting a plaintext
message through an encryption algorithm.
Types of Encryption
• Symmetric Encryption – a type of encryption in which the same
encryption key is used both to encrypt and decrypt a message.
The process for symmetric
encryption is:
• Plain text is encrypted into
cipher text using an encryption
key.
•The cipher text and the
encryption key are sent
separately to the receiving
device.
•The same key is then used to
decrypt the cipher text back
into its plain text form.
Types of Encryption
Asymmetric Encryption – a type of encryption that uses public
keys and private keys to ensure data is secure
Two types of encryption key are used:
Public Key – a type of encryption key that is known to all users.
Private Key – a type of encryption key which is known only to
the single computer/user.
Types of Encryption
The process for asymmetric
encryption is:
•Plain text is encrypted into
cipher text using a public key.
This is also a type of
encryption algorithm.
•The cipher text is transmitted
to the receiving device.
•The cipher text cannot be
decrypted using the public
key, it is decrypted using a
private key.
