Computer Cryptography :: Exploratory Essays

ready reck one and only(a)r CryptographyWhen I original read the term computing device cryptography, I thought that it was a technical term for hacking. After looking up cryptography on an on-line dictionary, I was sure I wasnt far from the truth. But after further examining the topic, I find I am only partly right. Computer cryptography is a really complex thing. According to David Banisar 1, Cryptography provides a means of accomplishing two life-and-death functions-encryption and authentication.In order to understand cryptography, I think it is best to first look at encryption and authentication. Then I will project how it affects the privacy of personal information processing system users and how the government is attempting to deal with the cryptography issue. I will also take a brief look at quantum computers and their effect on the computer society.Encryption is a security process, designed to secure information being sent electronically. Its kind of wish sendin g a message military-style. Instead of saying, The president has left the sporting House, a military official might say something like, The eagle has left the nest. The difference between the example above and encryption is that encryption has more than to do with mathematics, since computers communicate exploitation numbers, not letters.Authentication is just as it sounds. Authenticity means, Not false or imitation. 2 I also arrange that authenticate means, to prove or serve to prove the authenticity of. 3 Basically, its making something legitimate. Well, authenticating a computer document is the same as sign language the document. The sender uses a unique digital signature to let the pass receiver know that the document is official and sent from the right person.So, to sum it up, computer cryptography software is designed to send and receive important messages using a type of secret code to send the message and an electronic signature to let you know the receivers sof tware allowing him to well read the message is real. The message is then decoded by message.When personal computer users purchase something online, they use a credit card number or bank account number to make their purchase. This number is sent by means of the website to the company youre shopping with. If there are any bugs in the sites programming, other users can get a tick of your account information and use it to do the same, to purchase things online, where no one is there to verify that that is you (Stephen Budianski, Losing the Code War, Atlantic Monthly, 2002).