Computer technology is now a big part of pretty much any type of business. We use computers for everything from data input to financial transactions. Because of this, cybercrime is on the rise, with hackers taking any opportunity they can get to breach network security and gain access to personal information. Data encryption takes data and converts it into a code that can only be accessed with a secret key or password. Here are the basics of data encryption.
Main Purpose
Data Encryption is specifically designed to increase your network security by making it harder to access it. Encrypted data is commonly known as ciphertext, while unencrypted data is known as plaintext.
Modernized encryption techniques utilize authentication and integrity. Authentication allows a message’s origin to be traced and verified, while integrity gives proof that a message’s content hasn’t been altered since it was sent out.
The Process
To encrypt data, specialists use an encryption algorithm and a corresponding key. There are two main types of data encryption: Symmetric and Asymmetric. Cipher data with a symmetric-key uses the same universal key to encrypt and decrypt data.
Though this method is a lot faster than asymmetric, the encryption key must be exchanged with the recipient before it can be decrypted, which can be inconvenient for businesses that need to manage large amounts of data.
The asymmetric encryption method uses both a public and a private key. The public key can be shared with anyone, but the private key is to be kept secure and protected. A very popular algorithm used in the encryption industry is The Rivest-Sharmir-Adleman (RSA) algorithm, which allows both the public and private keys to assure the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of network data and communications.
Challenges
The strength of encryption depends on the size and complexity of the key. The biggest challenge when it comes to data encryption is simply ensuring that hackers are not able to access and breach the code.
Brute force is one of the most common and basic attack methods on data encryption as well as testing out random public keys until they find the correct one. More complicated methods such as cryptanalysis try to find errors and weaknesses in the encryption design.
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