Cryptography (Encryption)
Before this, we have learned several different ways to protect your data online, whether it is using a VPN, firewall, a strong password, or even encrypting it. Now, let’s dive a little bit into encrypting and decrypting data.
Two things to know are that encryption is the process of scrambling data into a secret code, whereas decryption is the opposite of that- it unscrambles that code and gives you the secret message.
We also need to know what private keys and public keys are- private keys are keys that only you have access to- they allow you to decrypt any secret messages you may receive. On the other hand, public keys are available for everyone to use and they are useful for encrypting data.
There are two main types of encryption- symmetric encryption and asymmetric encryption (this is referred to as public key cryptography). On the next page, we will explore what each one is, as well some of their advantages and disadvantages.
Continue