Cryptography is the process of converting regular plaintext into unreadable ciphertext. Cryptography uses various ciphers and algorithms to ensure data confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation(CIAN). Data confidentiality ensures that non-authorized users can't view, read, or change the data. Data integrity ensures that no one can change the data after sending it, including the sender and receiver. Data authentication confirms the identity of both the sender and receiver to ensure that they can be trusted and are the intended recipients of the data. Lastly, data non-repudiation ensures neither party involved in the data transfer can deny any previous actions or statements. The process of converting plaintext into ciphertext is called encryption, and the inverse is called decryption.
There are two primary types of cryptography, symmetric encryption and asymmetric encryption. Symmetric encryption is when the cipher or algorithm only uses one shared key for the encryption process, while asymmetric encryption uses two keys, one public and the other private. In an optimal setting, only the sender and the intended receiver(s) will have access to either the shared key or the private key (anyone can know what the public key is in asymmetric encryption). Cryptography is often used to protect systems' and networks' data from outside attackers, and to protect data that is being sent across systems or networks. Cryptography will also be used in password management to prevent outside attackers from learning a system's password and to authenticate the passwords used to get onto the system or network.
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