Privacy in Cryptography: What You Need to Know


Keeping your private data private is hard. Nearly everyone now has a social media account, and many people have been hacked as a result. Your personal information could be anywhere online, and cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to steal it. We also live in an age of unrest regarding internet privacy. New regulations such as the GDPR have changed how companies and individuals handle user data, while the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal has sparked a renewed interest in taking back control of our information. To this end, cryptography—the art of creating codes—has emerged as a core tool in safeguarding communications against spying third parties and other attacks. Even if you’ve never heard of it before, you’re probably already using cryptography every day: It’s one of the fundamental concepts behind encryption algorithms used for secure communication over the internet (such as HTTPS).



What is cryptography?

Cryptography is the art of creating codes. The most common use of the word is to refer to codes that are used to protect information by preventing unauthorized people from accessing it. There are two main ways to use cryptography to protect information: - Encryption: This is when you use codes to scramble information so that only people who know the secret code can unscramble it and read it. - Hashing: This is when you use codes to create a fingerprint (“hash”) of a piece of information. A hash is like a fingerprint of a piece of information: It can’t be unscrambled and read like the original information.


How is cryptography used to protect privacy?

The main way that cryptography protects privacy is by scrambling the content of messages and communications so that only the intended recipient can unscramble and read them. All computer systems produce what are known as “metadata,” which is a record of who was communicating with whom, when, and what they sent. This metadata can be used to reveal useful information about a person’s behaviour and activities, including communications with journalists, doctors, lawyers, and other people who are supposed to remain confidential. Cryptography can be used to prevent this metadata from being collected and revealing sensitive information.


Why is privacy so important in cryptography?

The same properties that make cryptography useful are also what make it difficult to trust. After all, if anyone can see the code, anyone could break it. Cryptographers have developed a series of guidelines for designing and analyzing cryptographic algorithms to make sure they are secure. These guidelines are known as “best practices” in cryptography. The problem is that these practices are not universal, and different countries, companies, and people have different standards. What would be a best practice in the United States may not be in Russia, and even standards that are accepted in one country may not be accepted elsewhere.


What are some key terms when it comes to cryptography?

These terms are important to understand when it comes to cryptography. - Plaintext: This is the original information that is being encrypted. - Ciphertext: This is the scrambled information that results from the process of encrypting plaintext. - Key: This is a piece of information that people use to unscramble ciphertext. - Cryptanalysis: This is the study of techniques for breaking codes or finding flaws in cryptographic algorithms. - Cryptography: This is the process of scrambling plaintext into ciphertext using a secret code. - Cryptographic algorithm: This is a step-by-step procedure for scrambling and unscrambling data. - Key management: This is the process of managing encryption keys and ensuring that they are secure. - Privacy: This is the condition of being alone and not being observed or overheard. - Confidentiality: This is the property of information being kept secret and not disclosed to any unauthorized persons.


Which 3 tools should you use to encrypt your data?

- Password Managers: Password managers are an essential tool for encrypting sensitive information like login credentials, credit card numbers, and logins. Password managers store these sensitive bits of information in an encrypted database that only you have the key to unlock. - Email Encryption: There are a number of services that let you send encrypted emails and that let you send and receive encrypted emails. - File Encryption: There are a number of tools that let you encrypt files so that only you can open them. Be sure to use a service that has a solid track record when it comes to security and privacy.


Wrapping up: Don’t be afraid of the dark!

One of the most important skills we can develop is learning to be comfortable in the dark. This means understanding the potential threats and knowing how to protect yourself. When it comes to privacy, cryptography is an essential tool for protecting your data. You can use password managers to encrypt sensitive information, email encryption to protect communications, and file encryption to protect sensitive files.