The Internet has transformed the way of life of people. It has changed everything from the way we learn to the way we shop. We use the Internet to carry out a number of activities ranging from reading the news, playing games, and interacting with friends and family, among many other things. We think that we only receive information from the internet; However, this is far from the truth. In the process of browsing the Internet, we send a lot of information, such as our identity and location. In general, we are not as safe on the Internet as we think.
For example, when shopping online, our name, address, and credit card information is transmitted over the Internet to the vendor. Since such private information is channeled over the Internet, it is vital that certain steps are taken to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of the data. The latest information technology news tells us that the number of cybercrimes is on the rise.
This is where encryption comes into play. Simply put, encryption scrambles data to be transmitted over the Internet in a way that only someone with the encryption key can decipher.
The concept of encryption is based on cryptography, and it is of two types:
- public key encryption
- Symmetric key encryption
public key encryption
With this type of encryption, two different keys are used. There is a public key and there is a private key. For example, if a person wants to send encrypted data over the Internet, the public key is used to encrypt the data; however, the data can only be encrypted by the recipient using their private key.
This method can be used to send secure emails and to digitally sign documents. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and its newer method, Transport Layer Security (TLS), are examples of public-key encryption systems.
Symmetric key encryption
In this encryption method, both the sender and the receiver use the same encryption key. This simplifies the process and makes it faster. However, the key and data can be compromised while in transit over the Internet. Data Encryption Standard (DES) was a type of symmetric key encryption being superseded by a more modern Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).
data encryption
The benefits of encryption aren’t just limited to the Internet; You can encrypt your data on your computer, USB storage devices, hard drives, mobile devices, and many other data storage devices to prevent data misuse if your devices are lost or stolen.
importance of encryption
As learned from the latest information technology news, the number of cyber crimes is on the rise and this makes it necessary for computer users to keep their data safe from hackers. Large corporations and governments require high levels of encryption to protect their sensitive plans, such as trade secrets and sensitive data. It also gives us the peace of mind that our data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.