Cryptography, from the Greek words meaning “hidden writing,” encrypts sent data so only the intended recipient can read it
Cryptography is essential to our digital world and protects sensitive data from hackers and other cybercriminals
Modern cryptosystems are more advanced yet work similarly. Most cryptosystems start with plaintext, which is encrypted into ciphertext using one or more encryption keys
IBM developed the Data Encryption Standard (DES) in the early 1970s. While it is vulnerable to brute force assaults, its architecture remains relevant in modern cryptography
Intended recipient’s private key may decrypt a message, making public key cryptography more secure than symmetric encryption
Although theoretical, prototypes suggest that quantum computers might breach even the most secure public key cryptography schemes in 10 to 50 years