Encryption

• Encryption


  Using a secret key to convert data into a scrambled version, so that only authorized users with the key can decrypt and read it
• Encryption


  • Effectively means that only authorized users are able to decrypt and read the scrambled data
  • Anybody else only sees a scrambled version of the data because they don't have the key
• Encrypting data


  1. Scrambling up data using a key

  2. Decrypting data by using the key to convert the scrambled version back to the original readable version
• Encrypting data


  • Encrypting a PDF file with a password
  • Encrypting an entire storage drive
• Encrypting a file does not stop an attacker from stealing it, but it stops them from being able to understand the contents
• Encrypting an entire drive


  Can take a long time and there is a risk of forgetting the decryption key
• Not all data on a drive may need to be encrypted, only the sensitive information
• Encrypting data in transit

  1. Encrypting data being transmitted over a network so that only the intended recipient with the key can decrypt it

  2. The encryption algorithm adds a key value to each digit in the message
• Encrypting data in transit


  • Encrypting the connection between a user's computer and a website
• Encryption makes man-in-the-middle attacks much harder, as the attacker cannot understand the encrypted message
• Anything sent over a public network should be encrypted to be secure