Computer encryption means the translation of data into a secret code.

Encryption is the most effective way to reach data security. To open or read an encrypted file you would need the secret key or password. This will decrypt the file. Regular unencrypted data is called plain text. Encrypted files are called cipher text. There are two main types of encryption, symmetric key encryption and public key encryption. The way symmetric key encryption works is each computer has a secret code that it can use to encrypt packets of information before being delivered through the network to another computer. This type of encryption needs you to know which computers will be communicating so that you can install the key on each computer. Symmetric encryption is pretty much the same as a code that each computer must know to decode the information. The code is the key to decrypting the message. Computers use long keys. The Data Encryption Standard (DES) was the first major algorithm developed only in the U.S. DES is a 56-bit key. People do not consider DES secure anymore because of computers becoming even faster. 56 bit keys have a lot of combinations, someone could easily brute force and decipher the encryption in a short amount of time. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) replaced DES. AES uses 128, 192, or 256 bit keys. People think that AES will last a really long time because there are over one trillion plus combinations. Public Key Encryption (asymmetric key encryption) uses two different keys at once, a public key and a private key. Only your computer knows the private key, the public key is given to a computer that it would like to communicate with, it is given by your computer. A person must use a public key if they wanted to decode an encrypted message. The public key came from the original computer ands its own private key. The message or item will not be secure because the public key is available to anyone. If someone were to pick it up, they couldnt read it because they would need the private keys. They key pair is based on prime numbers; this makes it really secure because there are so many prime numbers available, so many possible combinations that way. Public key is based on a hash value. It is computed using the hashing algorithm. It is pretty much impossible to figure out the input number without knowing the data used to create the hash value. Public keys use algorithms that are complex and use very large hash values for encrypting. This includes 40 bit to 128 bit numbers, pretty much impossible to decipher. Authentication is used to verify that the data comes from a trusted source. Passwords pass cards and digital signatures

are ways to authenticate from s computer. This is pretty much how the two main types of encryptions work. In symmetric key encryption both computers must know the private key. The Public key encryption uses a private and public key. 700 BC Spartan military used scytales to send messages through battle. 1467 the Alberti Cipher was invented which change encryption forever. 1797 the Jefferson wheel was invented; the US used this encryption device between 1923 and 1942. 1943 the enigma machine was invented. 1961, the first computer password was invented. 1979, DES was invented which I explained in my essay. 1985 Videocipher II was invented. 1997 AES is developed. 2012, personal data lockers were invented.