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Internet Security
Internet
Encryption Basics
Encryption is the process of hiding data or
the contents of a message in a way that can only be recovered
by using a corresponding decryption procedure. In cryptography,
both encryption and decryption are very common techniques used
to secure communications over the internet. There are
a variety of encryption and decryption processes often called
algorithms
that are used. In cryptography, it’s become very hard to keep
the logic of algorithms confidential. Particularly, when online,
it’s usually easier to use a more popular public algorithm
and to rely on an alternative form of security.
Cryptography uses a “key” which is a form of numbers in a
long sequence of bits. The sequence of numbers is used by the
encryption and decryption algorithms. As an example, the following
sequence of numbers will act as a hypothetical 40 bit key:
000101 1101000001010 111001010 000001010101
An encrypted
algorithm will take the original message with
a key and alter the message numerically based on the bits in
the key to create an entirely new encrypted message. Similarly,
the decryption algorithm will take the encrypted message and
reinstate it to the original form by using one or more keys.
Sometimes there is one single private key that is used for
both encryption and decryption. More often other algorithms
use two keys, one for encryption and the other for decryption.
In a case where there are two keys being used, one will be
allowed to remain public, such as the encryption key, whereas
the other remains private. Messages can not be read if the
decryption key is not known. Basically, these keys provide
the protection necessary when encrypting and decrypting communications
online.
The Secure
Sockets Layer (SSL) is used with current web browsers
to secure online transactions, such as online banking, investing
and e-commerce. The SSL encryption depends greatly on the keys
by using a public key for the encryption process and a private
key for the decryption process. Normally the strength or effectiveness
of SSL encryption is measured by the key length and how many
numbers of bits are in the key.
The 40
bit encryption became too easy to decode, by the use
of brute force, which is basically calculating every possible
key one by one. In order to increase the strength and effectiveness
of SSL encryption, the creators of web browsers increased the
strength of encryption to 128 bit. This increase is for your
added protection because the 128 bit is much harder and almost
impossible to decode. Internet security professionals expect
the 128 bit encryption to work effectively for at least another
ten years.
Internet security is not all hype, it’s very important to
the online communities who use their computers for more than
just playing games. Even if you only use your computer to send
and receive email, it would be a good security measure to encrypt
your email. If you encrypt your email so that only the intended
recipients can read it, then that would prevent even the most
dedicated hackers from intercepting your email and violating
your privacy. There is also software available to enable you
to digitally sign the email you send so that the recipients
can verify who it’s actually coming from.
When you encrypt your email, you will have two keys, a public
key and a private key. This kind of encryption is called Public
Key Infrastructure (PKI). With PKI, you are the only one who
has use of your private key, while your public key is given
to anyone of your choosing or you can also make it available
to the public. If your friend wants to send you an email that
is only meant for your eyes to see, your friend would encrypt
it by using your public key. When you receive the message,
you will have to use your private key to decrypt the message
in order to read it. Without decrypting the message, it would
only appear to be a series of numbers.
It’s an important security measure to encrypt all of your
email messages, not just the confidential ones or the one’s
containing your credit card information. Although encrypting
every single email message that is sent through internet space
may seem like a hassle, it really is the best thing to do for
your own security.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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