Encryption involves the process of reversible transformation of data in order to hide it from unauthorized persons, but to provide access to authorized users. The main task of encryption is to ensure the confidentiality of data that is transmitted over any channel.
The main feature of encryption is the use of special keys that allow authorized users to access the necessary data. If the user has logged in, it means that he has the corresponding authentic key.
Implementation of the encryption process in practice
The encryption process includes 2 components — the data encryption itself and its decryption. With the help of encryption, you can ensure 3 states of information security:
- Complete confidentiality. Encryption allows you to hide data from unauthorized persons in the process of sending/receiving or storing information.
- Integrity. Encryption can ensure that information will not change or be corrupted during decryption.
- The possibility of identification. Encryption is a method of authenticating a data source that provides access to data only to those to whom this information is intended.
To gain access to encrypted information, the user must have a special key and a decryptor — equipment that allows you to perform the data decryption process.
The main essence of data encryption is that if an attacker is still able to intercept encrypted information, due to the lack of a key to decrypt it, he will not be able to read or make changes to this information.
In the modern world, encryption cryptographic systems with public keys are often used to encrypt and decrypt data. That is, you can use different keys to access information.
But due to the development of cryptanalysis, today it is possible to use such data protection methods in which files can be decrypted without a key. Such methods are based on a mathematical analysis of the transmission of information through different communication channels.
Encryption Tasks
Among the main tasks of data encryption is to protect any important information from unauthorized access (interception) when it is transmitted through unsecured channels. Such a process implies the following:
- Before sending information over a communication channel or before placing it in storage, the data is encrypted.
- If necessary, the decryption procedure is performed to restore the original information from the encrypted files.
At first, data encryption was used exclusively when working with confidential and secret information, but over time, the technology began to be used more widely — in order to ensure the integrity and safety of even the personal data of ordinary users.