What is Encryption?

Morse Code
Encryption comes from Cryptography or Cryptology. To understand
encryption one must understand what is cryptography. Cryptography in simple
words is the study or practice of techniques for secret communication. Encryption is
simply the process of encoding communication so that only the intended parties can
read it.
The most common expample of encryption is our Keychain. The passwords stored in
our bowsers' keychain are encrypted.
In simple words, Encryption is the process of conversion of electronic data to
another form, called a ciphertext, that cannot be easily understood by unauthorized
people. For unauthorized people to be able to read the data, Decryption is
required.
Decryption is the reverse of encryption. Decryption is the process of conversion of an
encrypted data back to its' original form. Decryption enables us to read the earlier
encrypted data.

Encryption Process
Why do we need encryption you ask?
Allow us to enlist a few common reasons as to what encryption can protect;
Your Credit-card information
Your Social Account Login information
Your Private correspondence
Your Personal details
Sensitive company information
Your Bank-account information

Age of Encryption
Encryption is not new. Infact, encryption has been going on for many thousands of
years ago. One of the Legends date back to Greek Empire. Messages were encrypted
by writing the message on the scalp of a soldiers' head. Later, when the hair grew
back the soldier was sent to deliver the encrypted message to allies. The allies on the
other hand would already have the key to decrypt the message arriving. They would
shave the soldiers' head and read the message. Ooh before we forget 'Trojan' used i
the was one of the most known example for something Encrypted.

Methods of Encryption
We very much have realized the importance of encryption by now. But encryption
not only makes the data unreadable but also makes sure that the data sent has not
been tampered with. There are 3 different Encryption Methods, each having it's own
advantages and disadvantage.
Hashing
Symmetric Method
Asymemetric Method

Hashing
Hashing, though used as an encrypion method but cannot be technically called one.
Hashing creates fixed-length unique signature for a message or data set. Since the
hash generated is unique to a specific message or data set even a minor data
tampering can lead to a drastic change in the hash. Once the data has been encrypted
using hashing, the process cannot be reversed. The hash cannot be deciphered or
decrypted. With hashing we can be sure that the data has not been tampered with.
Some common hashing algorithms are Message Digest 5 (MD5) and Secure Hashing
Algorithm (SHA).

Symmetric Method
Symmetric method is one of the oldest methods of encryption. Also known as
Symmetric cryptography or private-key cryptography, this method of encrypion
uses a private key to encrypt and decrypt data. The term 'Private key' is used because
the key has to remain private or a secret. Because who ever has the private-key, can
read the message. The sender uses a private-key to encrypt data, and the receiver
has to use the same private-key to decrpyt to data.
Symmetric method can further be classified into 2 broad cipher techniques. 'Stream
Cipher' and 'Block Cipher'. In Stream Cipher the data is encrypted one character at a
time before it is sent or received, whereas, a Block Cipher processes fixed chunks of
data at a time. Common symmetric encryption algorithms include Data Encryption
Standard (DES), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and International Data
Encryption Algorithm (IDEA).

Asymmetric Method
Last but definitely not the least, Asymmetric method of encryption can be said to be
prtentially more safer than symmetric methods of encryption. Asymmetric
cryptography or public-key encryption uses two keys, a 'private-key' and a 'public
key' to encrypt and decrypt data. Having two keys negates the one drawback of
Symmetric method of encryption, single private-key managment among multiple
users. Public-key is available to everyone and is used to encrypt the data at the time
of sending. The private-key remins with the receiver so that the data can be
decrypted.
Algorithms that use asymmetric encryption methods include RSA
(Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) and Diffie-Hellman.

The major difference between hashing and symmetric/asymmetric methods of

encryption is that while using hashing, the data or the message once encrypted
cannot be decrypted or deciphered. But when Symmetric or Asymmetric methods of
encryptions are used the data or the message can be decrypted or deciphered.

Material Courtesy: ITMeets.Guru

Image Courtesy: Google