Cryptography Introduction
Introduction And History of Cryptography
- What is Cryptography?
- Cryptography is the art of breaking and using cryptosystems
which is the method of disguising messages so that only certain
people can see through the "disguise". It is also described as
the art of secret writing.
- What is Cryptography used for?
- Privacy
- Keep people from reading sensitive email. No one
but your best friend should read what you did last weekend with that
girl at that party.
- Commerce
- Keep credit card information and other sensitive
financial information private to prevent fraud.
- Security
- Keep confidential information confidential and private.
- Authentication and Integrity
- Make sure files are from who they claim to be.
Also cryptography can be used to ensure that files
retain their integrity after being transferred.
- Some other usages include:
- "Digital ID Badge" that can be given to employees for security
reasons.
- Electronic Voter Authentication.
- Software publishes use cryptography to ensure that a product
downloaded through the Internet is authentic.
Copyright 1997 by Slackers Union. Comments should go to any of the
group members. Opinions reflected on this page are by no means
opinions
of UCSD. Go sue somebody else.
Last Modified: June 1st, 1997
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