An explanation of encryption
In this video, Informa TechTarget customer success specialist Ben Clossey explains how encryption works, its different forms and its various uses.
Every message is more secure when you use a secret code.
When you send sensitive information to someone, it's important that only they can access that material. One way to protect data is to translate it into a secret code that only the recipient can crack. This is called encryption.
Here, we'll explain how encryption works and why it's used to keep information secure.
Encryption refers to the process of converting data into an encoded format to keep it private. This used to be done by hand:
The sender would use a special key to change each letter or word to a corresponding letter or numeral, making it look like nonsense to anyone without the key. The intended recipient, though, would have their own copy of the key and use it in reverse to decode the message. This method of encryption was often used to send sensitive information like military plans or government secrets.
Today, we use technology to support more advanced encryption. Data is processed through an encryption engine, which uses an encryption algorithm -- cipher -- to turn the original data into ciphertext. Depending on the algorithm used, this ciphertext might contain characters, character blocks, bits or a mix of all three.
This ciphertext is then sent to the recipient's device, where it's stored in its encrypted format. To decode the ciphertext, you need the right encryption key. Today's keys aren't physical, but rather a string of bits randomly generated by the encryption algorithm to specifically solve that message's algorithm. The digital key is sent separately and only shared with the intended recipient to make sure the data stays secure.
There are two kinds of encryption:
- Symmetric ciphers, which use the same key to encrypt and decrypt the data.
- And asymmetric ciphers, which use one key to encrypt the data and another to decrypt.
Symmetric ciphers are faster to use, while asymmetric ciphers are harder to crack.
So why use encryption? An encrypted message has four main functions:
- Confidentiality. All data is encoded to keep it secret.
- Authenticity. You can verify where the data was sent from.
- Integrity. You can verify that the data hasn't been altered since it was sent.
- Nonrepudiation. The sender can't deny that they sent the message.
There are many different scenarios where you might want to use encryption. Any transfer of sensitive information, like personally identifiable information, will likely use encryption to keep it private. This includes when you type your PIN into an ATM or make a purchase online. Many messaging services offer encryption, so texts can't be read by anyone else.
Encryption is also used at the enterprise level. For example, by encrypting patient medical records and bank account details, healthcare providers and financial institutions make it more difficult for cybercriminals to steal data and use it maliciously. Some encryption is even government-mandated to better protect consumer data.
However, there are some risks when using encryption, such as the following:
- Lost or damaged encryption keys. This will lock everyone out of the data, including the right people.
- Stolen encryption keys. Stolen keys can be used to decode large volumes of data, so if you use the same key for lots of purposes, that could leave you very vulnerable.
- Malicious use. Encryption can also be used for criminal purposes, such as ransomware.
It's important to keep your encryption keys safe -- after all, what good is a lock if you can't open it? Having a secure key management system is the best way to reduce vulnerabilities and make sure only the right people get access to your data.
Does your organization use encryption to keep its data secure? Let us know in the comments, and remember to like and subscribe, too.
Madeleine Streets is a senior content manager for WhatIs. She has also been published in 'TIME,' 'WWD,' 'Self' and Observer.'