AUTHENTICATION AND ENCRYPTION TECHNOLOGY
CHAPTER 5
AUTHENTICATION
A process of verifying that a file or message has not been altered along the way that file was sent in the network. Authentication is commonly done through the use of logon passwords. A way to prove to one entity that another entity is who it claims to be. Authentication needs differs by Application: More sensitive data, requires stronger authentication
ENCRYPTION
The technique of converting data to a format that is meaningless to anyone who does not have the proper key. A good method of protecting data transmitted over the Internet.
CRYPTOGRAPHIC TERMINOLOGIES
Encryption
A process of converting a data into a form that cannot be easily understood by unauthorized people
Decryption
Process to convert the ciphertext into the plaintext. Decryption requires a secret key or password
Ciphertext
The disguised (encrypted) file or message that could not been read directly
Plaintext
Original text
Cryptanalysis
The study of principles and methods of transforming an unintelligible message back into an intelligible message without knowledge of the key
ENCRYPTION
ENCRYPT PLAINTEXT PLAINTEXT DENCRYPT
PLAINTEXT
ENCRYPTION
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T
Plaintext: LITTLE GREEN APPLES Chipertext: FCNNF5 AL55H IJJF5M
TYPES OF ENCRYPTION
Symmetric Key Encryption Asymmetric Key Encryption
SYMETRIC KEY ENCRIPTION
Based on single key. Private key or secret key. Algorithm is being shared between the parties who are exchanging encrypted information. The same key both encrypts and decrypts messages.
SYMMETRIC KEY
Advantages Fast Disadvantages Requires secret sharing
Relatively Secure
Widely understood
Complex administration
No authentication
No nonrepudiation
EXAMPLE SYMMETRIC KEY
Data Encryption Standard (DES) International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA) CAST Rivest Cipher #4 (RC4)
ASYMMETRIC KEY
Whitfield Diffe and Martin Hellman Stanford University (1976). Public cryptography. Uses two keys Public and Private.
ASYMMETRIC KEY
Advantages No secret sharing necessary Slower Disadvantages
Authentication supported
Provides nonrepudiation
Certificate authority required
Scalable
EXAMPLE OF ASYMMETRIC KEY
Diffie-Helman Rivest, Shamir, Adelman (RSA) Digital Signature Algorithm A Slight Digression Message Intergrity MD4 MD5 Secure Hash Algorithm-1 (SHA-1) RIPEMD