Encryption or data encryption What is it, what is it for and what types exist?

Safety remains one of the most important factors whenever we surf the internetespecially when they must be entered credit card numbers, access to payment platforms, emailamong many other sites where they are handled private and important data.

That is why today data encryption has become a very important procedure to be able to protect files, data or any other document handled on the webespecially with the proliferation of cloud storage services where more and more there are millions of information that is in this mobility.

All this has led to hackers have one greater ease when wanting to steal some type of data or information. One of the ways to have all this protected and safe from any cybercriminal is by encrypting the information. That is why here we are going to show you what it is encrypt data and what it is for This function.

What is data encryption and what is it for in computing?

encrypt data has become one of the best ways to be able to protect users’ personal and important informationthis is how this consists of placing a security key to all information deemed necessary where only people with access to said key will be able to read them. Therefore, the objective of all this is to be able to ensure the protection of digital data and offer them a greater peace of mind for users.

Although this process can involve advanced mathematical calculations, perform this procedure is not difficult, so almost everyone can be able to do it. To do this, you simply have to search for the information you want to cover and by means of secret codes Your information will be hidden, in this way only those people who have said access to researchotherwise no relevant text will be found in it.

This is how all the information that is encrypted will have very advanced security levels capable of protecting any type of online procedure to be done with them. Some of the most important information for encrypt are the credit card numbers, personal data or private information to be shared over the network.

What are the main elements of data encryption?

encryption is composed of two essential elements for its optimal development, this is about the key and the algorithmsit is these two functions that allow users to protect your data and that way restrict access to it by third parties. This is how here we are going to explain a little more about the two main elements of this security system.

Key code

The main element to prevent third parties from accessing files is the key or passwordwhich is the derivative of the public key of one party and the private key of another party. Therefore, the password that is shared is used to encrypt subsequent communications between partiesthese parts usually They do not usually have prior knowledge of each other.where you end up using a symmetric encryption system.

In this way, the creations of public keys and private keys can be generated over and over again each time run security protocolthis will always guarantee information protection.

Algorithm

algorithms they are a fundamental piece for what is the protection of an access control system, since they are the ones who are going to guarantee the communications invulnerability between the different parties. Therefore, the use of algorithms is essential for this type of mechanism that you can constantly be receiving attacks on the files that are exchanged.

It is essential to mention that today there are different security levels for communicationswhere there is currently two fundamental algorithms for them, which we show you below:

AES algorithm (Advanced Encryption Standard)

Considered today as one of the most stable and securespecially created to keep the privacy of secret information handled within the National Security Agency of the United States. This is how all this is based mainly on permutations, substitutions and linear transformations that run on 16-byte blocksand which are repeated simultaneously.

Being such a secure algorithm, it is frequently used to encrypt the information contained in the world’s banks, governments and top security systems. Until now no known attack that you have achieved violate your protection system.

3DES algorithm (Triple Data Encryption Standard)

It is specialized in the DES algorithmwhich aims to apply a large number of basic operations in order to convert a document into a encrypted document. To do this, use a cryptographic keythus preventing third parties from accessing said information contained therein.

This is how this algorithm is responsible for performing a triple encryptionthat is, what apply three times with three different keys which makes it almost impossible to break. This type of system is currently used by a large number of electronic payment pages, where it protects the identity of credit cards and personal data.

What are the different types of data encryption that have been developed so far?

As time has passed the types of encryption have been changingthis is how we can currently find different types of them either according to its key, its properties and its algorithms. Therefore, below, we are going to explain what each of them means.

According to your key

This type of encryption can vary depending on your key typebe it a symmetric encryption or asymmetric, This is how we explain each of them here.

Symmetric Encryption

So much encryption and decryption keys are the sametherefore, the communicating parts They should have the same keys so that a completely secure communication can be established. In other words, the same key to encrypt and decrypt the message that both the sender and the receiver must know.

Asymmetric Encryption

This system is mainly based on the use of two keyswhat he is public key system that anyone can use encrypt the messagebut in this case only the receiving party is the one that will have password access to read the message. This allows all this information to be disseminated without much problem to all those people who need it. send encrypted information.

While the other type of key is the one that is privatethat is, it cannot be at anyone’s reach, and will only be known by its creator. In the same way this password type can never be revealed which will prevent third parties from accessing the documents. Therefore, the use of a symmetric or asymmetric system will depend mainly on you need them from the user. Nevertheless, the symmetric system has shorter calculations what do you require fewer times than the system ones asymmetric.

According to your algorithm

The other types of encryption that can be found today are according to their algorithm, in which two types can be distinguished:

Stream Cipher

In this case encryption will be done bit by bitand are mainly based on the creation of extremely long keys which are used for both encrypt and decrypt information. They can be used in a only use or generate them using a pseudorandom key generator what generates a pseudo-random binary sequence from a startup password.

In most cases, to the calculation of this type of key intervenes directly in the encrypted message up to that moment. Also, it is important that the encryption in this type of algorithm is always kept in secrecy for security reasons.

block ciphers

This type of block algorithms consists in the first instance of break the message into blocks that have the same length, then each of these blocks will be converted into an encrypted message block through a set of operations that will be carried out simultaneously. In this encryption type operations are carried out in each of messages such as permutation and substitution of elements. Furthermore, in this type of algorithm the password can be so much symmetric and asymmetric.

According to its properties

Another type of encryption that is currently found is according to its propertiesin this case algorithms are grouped according to their function, its characteristics and properties.

Some examples of these include the following:

• Secure Forward Encryption: The main idea of ​​this type of system is that you can have a key code public static don’t changeand also to be able to count on a procedure that is in charge of change this password automatically every so often after performing some procedures.

The process for the calculation of the key must be in one direction only, which makes it easy to calculate, but the inverse problem must be complicated, this means that, if the current key is violated, previous keys must remain in the system. Therefore, even though current key is decrypted, previous keys are kept.

Two more types of encryption:

• Threshold Encryption: When it comes to a threshold encryptionis usually done with the notation “t-threshold” in order to indicate which is the threshold value of the system. All this is done with the aim of being able to distribute functionality in order for the different entities to cooperate, such as distribution of responsibilities and fault tolerance.
• Identity-based encryption: It is mainly characterized by the use of user identity attributesas it are email addresses, domain names, personal data, local address, among many others. From this you can encrypt and verify signatures, without the need of require digital certificates.

This has made it unnecessary today manipulate these certificates which makes it much easier to be able to manipulate users’ cryptographyas messages will be able to be encrypted by people before these are manipulated by any other entity.

• Deniable Cipher: This type of encryption is responsible for denying the convincing way in which the data is encrypted or being able to decrypt it. Usually a ciphertext can be decrypted into a single plaintext, but in the case of deniable encryptionallows the user to decipher texts and produce a simple text only in case it is necessary.

Even though it’s in the condition of revealing a simple textthe attacker cannot reveal some of the differences between the text true and alternate.

• Isolated Key Encryption: The encryption of key code isolated usually be divided into N periodswhere the secret keys are stored in possibly insecure ways, since they are exposed but they are changed from time to time. To change and update passwords it needs to be done an interaction with a device that is protectedwho is the one who has the master key that is maintained fixed during each of the periods.
• Malleable Encryption: In this case encryption allows, without knowing the keyit can alter the encryption in order to change the meaning of the text. Everything is generally used by some applications what for the encrypted code cannot be used as trial mode that the message was sent by someone who knows the password.

What are the different data encryption algorithms out there and how do they work?

When you talk about encrypt any document or information is simply referring to encryption algorithms who are in charge of carrying this out together with a key code. Therefore, these are applied to that information that you want to transmit confidentially and the one they can’t have access other people.

This is how currently there are different types of data encryption algorithms what you should know and know how do they workfor this, follow in detail each one of the algorithms which we are going to explain to you next:

Symmetrical

The symmetric encryption algorithm consists in that two or more users manage a single secret key, that is, that the same key will take care of encrypt and decrypt the information transmitted within the insecure channel. Therefore, both the user sender as receiver handle the same password with which both can modify or edit said content shared there.

For a symmetric algorithm to be reliable and secure, it is important that it meets the following requirements:

• When the message is encrypted by the sendercannot be obtained the encryption or decryption key neither does the plain text.
• when known plaintext and encryptionit will be necessary waste more money to get the password.
• As for the safety of the symmetric key is due to that of your own key, which becomes the main problem when password distribution to the different users.
• Cryptographic algorithms are publictherefore, your safety depends on the length and complexity of your password so that it is able to withstand external attacks.

Bearing this in mind, here we show you what are some of the symmetric algorithms that can be found today:

• DES (Data EncryptionStandard)
• 3DES (Triple Data Encryption Standard)
• RC4
• RC5
• skipjack
• IDEA (International Data Encryption Algorithm)
• AES (Advanced EncryptionStandard)

asymmetrical

In this case, this system is based mainly on two types of keys, where one of them is called public key and the other as private key. In the case of the public passwordcan be public and be known by different users while in private can only be known by password ownerno one else should know about it.

In the case of the private key is used when the person wants to sign something document digitallythen the person who receives said document and has the public key you can check that the message has the signature correctly. At the time of encrypt a document to be shared must be done with the public key of the recipient, at the time of receive the file this one can open with your private password and that way only he will be the one who can see said content.

In addition, there are currently several types of asymmetric algorithms which we mention below:

• RSA (Rivest, Shamir, Adleman)
• Diffie–Hellman (& Merkel)
• CCP (Elliptical Curve Cryptography)
• Authentication algorithms (or hashes)

Flow

A flow algorithm or flowchart as it is mostly known is a graphic representation of an algorithm or process to be carried out. In other words, it ends up being a activity diagram representing the workflows to be performed. Usually these diagrams are created step by step with the purpose of show the flow in general of the procedure.

It’s like this algorithm is indicated is to show the flows between the steps in which the elements move, the behavior and the continuous data. Therefore, a Data flow diagram is the one that will allow the user to visualize how the system worksWhat the system will do it and how put it into practice.

hashes

East hash system It is mainly used in cryptocurrencies and it is a method used today to be able to generate keys or security keys that represent a set of data or documents. In other words, it’s a Math operation which is done on a data set and its output ends up being a fingerprint.

It is possible that identical fingerprints exist for different objects, since one hash function count with one number of defined bits. Furthermore, from a fingerprint it can’t be done recover the original data. Currently there are two types of hashes that are the best known but that are also not very safe to use since vulnerabilities have been found in them, they are MD5 and SHA-1.

Therefore, encrypt a fingerprint or hash is also known as a digital signature and the requirements that must be met for a hash to be reliable are the following:

• It does not allow get the original text from a fingerprint.
• Can transform variable length text in a hash of fixed size, as is the case with SHA-1.
• Can’t find a data set have the same footprint.
• Of easy implementation.

What kind of information can be encrypted and what cannot? Main uses

It is important to mention that not all information can be encryptedthat is why it is essential to know what data types are possible to encrypt since this will greatly facilitate you to carry out this process. As usual, encryption is usually carried out at personally identifiable information and confidential business intellectual propertywith the aim that all this content can be kept in complete privacy. Therefore, here we show you what each of them is.

Personally Identifiable Information

In this case, all those information or data that a user can share in order to uniquely identify another individual. This can be like residence address, ID or social security number, telephone number, credit card number, bank accounts, among many others. all of these are sensitive data that perhaps many cybercriminals would like to obtain in order to carry out their malicious acts.

Therefore, thieves you can use all this information to steal an identity or banking access that allows them to do felonies. Can control or combat these types of attacks It has always been a difficult task to carry out, which is why one way to control all these acts of crime is encrypting all this informationwhich will allow only the parties involved to view the data contained there.

confidential business information

other of important information to care for and protect is those that are handled in companies and businessesthat is, the data that employees access every day about Your clientswhere they are mostly handled private data, plans about new products, customers’ bank accounts, data from advertising campaignsamong many other important data that are handled there.

All of this information can be very attractive and important for competitors, especially those dedicated to the same niches. This means that all these data can become targets of computer experts in order to steal information that allows them to know how the competition works.

However, on many occasions companies cannot encrypt all the information they contain, in this type of case it is necessary that they set priorities. This is how companies are obliged to protect what is the personal data of customers, their bank accounts, financial reports, documents, research data, the information of their employees or contracts with suppliers and distributors.

Taking into account the difficulty of being able to encrypt all business data, it’s important to have on mind all of the abovesince they are the foundation of company security and privacy.

What are the benefits of data encryption? Why should I start protecting my data better?

The main benefits we get with data encryption is the security and privacy, That is why we should start better encrypt our data for these two reasons. Therefore, here we show you what are the Main benefits that are achieved at the time of performing this type of operations.

Restrict access to information

When an information is not restricted and has a public access could arrive to its content be altered by any other user. But with the encryption it is possible to use a keythis will allow the content to not be displayed to those individuals who do not possess such a keypreventing it from being manipulated by third parties.

greater privacy

Taking into account that the information that is sent through The Internet can easily be compromised by third partiesthe best alternative for this type of case is encrypt as much data as possiblesince this will increase user privacy.

This is how this type of system can be applied to a large number of activities that we do on the webeither when surfing the internetI know visit some websiteswhen data is sent or private information is shared, among many others. All this will prevent these activities or data from being unreadable by intruders.

Greater security

data encryption not only used for protect communications between two or more parties, but also allows you to encrypt a large amount of important and sensitive information. This is how the user can protect data that they are in files, folders or disks so I can restrict access to them by third parties.

In addition, this type of operation helps increase the security and privacy of people, since it avoids what is identity theft, bank fraud, theft or loss of bank depositsand else illicit activities that can be committed on the personal and private data of individuals and companies.

Offers greater prestige to an organization

This not only helps improve the image of the company or individualor, but it increases the prestige of an organization, since they are preventing certain data can be stolen which could question or damage the image of a company. By not having a encryption system it will be possible that customer data can be stolen or that of the same companywhich can create mistrust or fear in customers.