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Need For Encryption

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In Seong Park
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7 views

Need For Encryption

Uploaded by

In Seong Park
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The need for encryption

Here’s a concise breakdown of encryption and decryption, Caesar and Vigenère Ciphers,
the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption, and a simple explanation of
how public key encryption works:

1. Encryption and Decryption:

Encryption is the process of converting data (plaintext) into an unreadable form (ciphertext) to
protect it from unauthorized access. Decryption is the reverse process, where ciphertext is
converted back into readable plaintext by the authorized recipient.

Why It’s Needed:

● Protects sensitive data from being accessed by unauthorized parties.


● Ensures confidentiality, especially in communications and transactions.

Example Using the Caesar Cipher:

● Caesar Cipher: A simple encryption method where each letter in the plaintext is shifted
by a fixed number of positions in the alphabet. For instance, using a shift of 3, "HELLO"
becomes "KHOOR".
○ Encryption: Shift letters forward (e.g., H → K).
○ Decryption: Shift letters backward (e.g., K → H).

Example Using the Vigenère Cipher:

● Vigenère Cipher: A more complex cipher that uses a keyword to shift each letter by
different amounts. If the keyword is "KEY" and the plaintext is "HELLO," each letter is
shifted based on the corresponding letter in the keyword.
○ Encryption: "H" is shifted by K (10 positions), "E" by E (4 positions), and so on.
○ Decryption: The process is reversed using the same keyword.

2. Symmetric vs. Asymmetric Encryption:

Symmetric Encryption:

● Uses the same key for both encryption and decryption.


● The key must be shared between the sender and recipient, so both can encrypt and
decrypt data.
● Faster and simpler but requires secure key sharing.
Example:
AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a commonly used symmetric encryption technique.

Asymmetric Encryption:

● Uses two different keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.
● The public key can be shared openly, but the private key is kept secret.
● More secure for communications where parties have not exchanged keys before.

Example:
RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) is a widely used asymmetric encryption technique.

Key Difference:

● Symmetric: Same key for both operations; faster but requires secure key sharing.
● Asymmetric: Different keys for encryption and decryption; more secure for
communications between unknown parties but slower.

3. How Public Key Encryption Works (in 4 Simple Steps):

1. Key Generation:
The user creates a pair of keys: a public key (shared openly) and a private key (kept
secret).
2. Encryption:
The sender uses the recipient's public key to encrypt the message. The message is
now locked and cannot be read by anyone except the recipient.
3. Transmission:
The encrypted message is sent over the network. Even if intercepted, it cannot be
decrypted without the recipient's private key.
4. Decryption:
The recipient uses their private key to decrypt the message and read the original
plaintext.

This method ensures secure communication, as only the intended recipient (with the private
key) can decrypt the data.

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