Computer Cryptography :: Exploratory Essays

Computer cryptographyWhen I first read the term computer cryptography, I eyeshot 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. provided after further examining the topic, I find I am only partly right. Computer cryptography is a very complex thing. According to David Banisar 1, Cryptography provides a means of accomplishing two crucial functions-encryption and authentication.In order to understand cryptography, I think it is best to first look at encryption and authentication. accordingly I will examine how it affects the privacy of personal computer users and how the government is attempting to deal with the cryptography issue. I will also take a apprise look at quantum computers and their effect on the computer society.Encryption is a security process, designed to secure information being direct electronically. Its sympathetic of like sending a message military-style. Instead o f saying, The president has go forth the White House, a military formal might say something like, The eagle has left the nest. The difference between the example above and encryption is that encryption has more to do with mathematics, since computers communicate using numbers, not letters.Authentication is just as it sounds. legitimacy means, Not false or imitation. 2 I also found 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 signing the document. The sender uses a unique digital signature to let the 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 formula to send the message and an electronic signature to let you know the receivers software allowing him to easily read the message is real. The messa ge 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 through the website to the company youre shopping with. If there are any bugs in the sites programming, other users can get a accord 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).