Cryptography is conversion
of plain readable text into unreadable form. In cryptography first the data is
coverted into cipher text (that is encryption) and then the cipher text is
coverted back into readable form (that is decryption). Cryptography basically
works on the concept of encryption and decryption. Encryption and decryption
should not be confused with encoding and decoding, in which data is converted
from one form to another but is not deliberately altered so as to conceal its
content. Encryption is achieved through the algorythms. These algorythms are
works with logic, mathematic calculations and its complexities.
Encryption : Encrypted data is refered
to cipher text. Cipher text is conversion of readable text into undreadable
form. It is the most effective way to achieve data security. To read an
encrypted file, you must have access to a secret key or password that enables
you to decrypt it.
Decryption : Decryption is the process
of converting encrypted data back into its original form, so it can be
understood. To decrypt the data one needs a secret key or password so it can be
decrypted.
Encryption can be done
through three ways:
1. Symmetric
2. Asymmetric
3. Hash
Symmetric :Symmetric encryption’s job
is to take readable data, scramble it to make it unreadable, then unscramble it
again when it’s needed. It’s generally fast, and there are lots of good
encryption methods to choose from. The
most important thing to remember about symmetric encryption is that both
sides—the encrypter, and the decrypter—need access to the same key.
Asymmetric :Asymmetric encryption
also takes readable data, scrambles it, and unscrambles it again at the other
end, but there’s a twist : a different key is used for each end. Encrypters use a public key to scramble the
data, and decrypters use the matching private (secret) key on the other end to
unscramble it again.
Hash :Hashing is what is
actually happening when you hear about passwords being “encrypted”. Strictly speaking, hashing is not a form of
encryption, though it does use cryptography.
Hashing takes data and creates a hash out of it, a string of data with
three important properties : the same data will always produce the same hash,
it’s impossible to reverse it back to the original data, given knowledge of
only the hash, it’s infeasible to create another string of data that will
create the same hash (called a “collision” in crypto parlance). hash is to
authenticate otherwise clearly-transmitted data using a shared secret
(effectively, a key.) The hash is generated from the data and this secret, so
that only the data and the hash are visible; the shared secret is not
transmitted and it thus becomes infeasible to modify either the data or the
hash without such modification being detected.
Now, there are very
simple methods to achieve cryptography in our day to day life so that our data
sharing can be done securely.
On this is website in first
box writing your message and in second box give your password and then click on
encrypt button on the right side.
The website will now
reload itself and will provide you the encrypted text. Send this encrypted text
to the desired person and tell them the key (which, in this case, is time).
The said person,
after receiving your encrypted message, can come on this website to decrypt it.
He/She wil simple have to copy the encrypted text and paste it on the first box
and enter the key in next box and click on decrypt button on the right
side as shown below :
After clicking on
decrypt the site will reload itself and will provide you with plain text.
Hence, symetric
encryption.
Click on generate
PGP keys, after opening the website. A public and private key will be
generated.
Now, copy the public
key and click on PGP encrypt message option, it will redirect to the
following page
Paste the public key
in the first box and write your message in the second box. By clicking on Encrypt
Message, you will get your message ecrypted.
Now, copy this
encrypted message to the desired person along with the private key which you
generated in the first step. The same person can also visited this site and
click on PGP decrypt message option to decrypt the message. After
clicking on the said option, the following page will open:
He/She can copy the
private key and ecrypted message and paste it on first and second box
respectively.
At last click on Decrypt
message and your message will be decrypted.
