How Computer Encription Works How Computer Key Encryption Works
Computer encryption is based on the science of cryptography (Tyson, 2000),which has been used since the days of the Roman Empire. Prior to thetechnological age, the governments used cryptography for military purposes.The existence of coded messages dates back to the Roman Empire. However,most forms of modern cryptography are based on computers, simply because ahuman-based code is relatively easy for a computer to crack.Encryption is a strategy used to make email messages, data files andelectronic-commerce transactions secure (Ouellette, 2003). Encoded blocksof data, called keys, are used to protect the message from outside viewerswhile it is traveling across the Internet. When it gets to the recipient,that recipient also must use a special key that can unlock the message.Computer key encryption is a technology that has been around for decadesbut has only recently gained global recognition as an expedient andinexpensive way for businesses to secure their data transmissions. Keyencryption, which is also known as cryptography, has gained popularityrecently for three reasons: Internet and extranet growth, an acceleratingelectronic-commerce market and a more mobile and remote workforce.
The problem is intensified by the fact that in order to be sure that peoplewho received messages from a user will not be able to read messages thatare not intended for them. Each user is given two keys--one public and one private. When the encrypted message arrives, the recipient useshis private key to decrypt the data and read the users' message. If a user wants to send amessage to another user, he finds his public key in a directory and uses itto send a message. Symmetric-key encryption is the center point of most digital commerce doneover the Internet (TechTV, 2001). Key encryptionmakes data unreadable to unauthorized viewers that might intercept thetransmission. Sofar, no encryption has proven completely secure, just practically secure. However, that is not practical in most cases,particularly for commercial transactions like Internet shopping orinternational communications between people who have never met. Key encryption offers a solution to this problem. Some systems are very difficult to crack if implementedcorrectly, but they are not uncrackable. Basically, "A" becomes "C," and"B" becomes "D". Public-key encryption typically involves a great deal of computing and canbe problematic, so many systems today use a combination of both public-keyand symmetry. According to Tyson (2000), "When two computers initiate asecure session, one computer creates a symmetric key and sends it to theother computer using public-key encryption. Once the session is finished,each computer discards the symmetric key used for that session. "Public-key encryption works like this (DiDio, 1998): Public-key encryptionis much like a series of public and private keys that lock data when it'stransmitted and unlock it when it's received.
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