Cryptography is a kind of secure communication in which the message is only accessible to the sender and the intended recipient (Branch, 2021). Even though the fact of transmission is known, the content of the data being conveyed should be kept hidden. The study of decoding cryptographic signals to determine their original meaning is known as cryptanalysis (Branch, 2021). The three fundamental operations of cryptography are encryption, decryption, and hashing. Encryption refers to turning data into an unbreakable code that conceals its original meaning. Decryption refers to the process of restoring encrypted information to its unmodified state. To put it simply, decryption is the inverse of encryption. Since decryption needs a private key or password, only a trusted person can access the encrypted data (Branch, 2021). Hashing can convert any information into a unique string of characters. In other words, the result is always the same for a given input. Putting a plaintext through a hashing algorithm has the same effect as using more complex language.
PKI is essential when security is a deep concern. PKI creates a dependable and secure network for various applications using digital signatures and public/private cryptographic keys (Branch, 2021). Digital certificates are used in digital transactions to verify each party’s validity and identity. They may determine if a particular public key belongs to the stated owner. If a trusted authority issued the certificate, the server would accept it as proof of identity.
Data Encryption Standard (DES) is the internet’s most widely used symmetric encryption method. For an asymmetric system, the RSA algorithm is the most widely used. PGP has become the most well-known hybrid system. The Data Encryption Standard (DES) is a symmetric-key block cipher that was created by IBM in the early 1970s and subsequently adopted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (Branch, 2021). The approach creates ciphertext by using 64-bit blocks of plaintext and 48-bit keys. Because the approach employs a symmetric key, data encryption and decryption utilize the same key. RSA is an example of an asymmetric cryptography algorithm. The word “asymmetric” refers to the procedure involving two keys: the public key and the private key. The Public Key is shared with everyone, while the Private Key is kept private (Branch, 2021). PGP uses fast algorithms that produce a mathematical summary called a hash to transmit digital signatures. The hash value, which may include login credentials or other digital information, is encrypted using the sender’s private key before being sent along with the message. The recipient verifies the message’s integrity by decrypting the hash using the sender’s public key and comparing the result to the one the sender provided.
Cyber security measures must evolve in tandem with the internet and the organizations that depend on it. The cybersecurity industry will continue to face new challenges and create new tools to combat increasingly sophisticated intrusions (Branch, 2021). They should focus their efforts on creating countermeasures to cyber threats. When it comes to securing one’s personal information, there should be no slackers. When designing an information security strategy, it is critical to understand both business and IT goals and objectives. It may also be a starting point if a clearly articulated business and IT plan exist. It is critical to understand the business’s future IT ambitions to determine what kind of security solution may suit both needs.
Using these criteria as a starting point, the narrative language of the plan may be written to identify and prioritize large strategic security initiatives and their related responsibilities over many years. Initiatives are an excellent method to summarize these individual initiatives’ overarching aims and context. Finally, the road map is converted into a prioritized project plan to carry out the actual work.
Reference
Branch, J. (2021). What’s in a Name? Metaphors and Cybersecurity. International Organization, 75(1), 39-70.
Da Veiga, A., Astakhova, L. V., Botha, A., & Herselman, M. (2020). Defining organizational information security culture—Perspectives from academia and industry. Computers & Security, 92, 101713.