If you are somewhat familiar with data security, you have probably already heard about cryptography. But do you know what its applications and functions are?

Most of the time, people associate cryptography with digital books.

However, this technique was already used by the Roman Empire to confuse its enemies.

Nonetheless, the way of encrypting back then was entirely different from what we know today, but the goal stemmed from the same principle: keeping messages secure.

In addition, cryptography was also very present in wars, as a strategy for soldiers so that enemies could not read their messages.

Currently, due to technological advances, cryptography is more linked to information security on the internet. After all, in the digital universe, transmitting and accessing files securely is fundamental.

Continue reading and learn more about the technique in the article that the Codeblog team has prepared for you.

What is data cryptography and what is it for?

The term "cryptography" is the combination of two words of Greek origin: "Kryptos" meaning "hidden" and "Gráphein" meaning "to write". In short, the act of encrypting consists of a set of techniques ruins that encode information so that only the sender and receiver can understand the data.

Logically, over the years, practices have been optimized to increase security.

In computing, users utilize what are called cryptographic keys, which are a set of bits organized in an algorithm capable of encoding and decoding data.

As a result, if the recipient of the message uses a different key than the sender, they will not be able to understand the information.

Each cryptographic key reveals a secret number that alters an encryption algorithm.

The process basically occurs like a lock, which has several pins, and each of them has several possible positions. Thus, the moment the key is inserted into the lock, each pin moves in a specific direction, and if the positions coming from the key are not compatible with each other, the door will not open.

What are the functions of cryptography?

In short, cryptography has two basic functions. The first is to make it impossible for stored and transmitted data to be read by unauthorized users. The second is to allow information to be propagated in a preserved manner, through a secure medium, to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of the information.

What types of messages can be encrypted?

Considering that computers have the ability to store, process, and send information in bits (an acronym derived from the words binary digit, which represents any type of data), any type of information can go through cryptography. Among the most encrypted are email messages, videos, audios, files saved on the computer, messages transmitted by mobile apps and passed through 4G or Wi-Fi, etc.

Does cryptography guarantee 100% data security?

First of all, it is worth noting that there is a difference between cryptography and security. Therefore, encrypted information is not always completely secure, and protecting it with this technique does not prevent potential hacker attacks. Even so, it is an effective way to prevent certain users from accessing specific files.

So, did you enjoy learning more about cryptography? We hope this information has expanded your knowledge about the technique.

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Warm regards, and see you in the next post.