Section 7: Cryptographic Solutions Flashcards
What is Cryptography?
The practice and study of writing and solving codes, focused on encrypting data to protect its confidentiality and integrity.
What is an Algorithm (Cipher)?
The mathematical process used for encrypting or decrypting data.
What is a Key?
An essential element that determines the output of the cipher, critical for both encryption and decryption.
What is Key Length?
The length of the key, which is directly proportional to the security level—the longer the key, the harder it is to crack.
What is Key Rotation?
The practice of regularly changing encryption keys to enhance security over time.
What is Symmetric Encryption?
A type of encryption that uses the same key for both encryption and decryption.
What is Asymmetric Encryption?
A type of encryption that uses a pair of keys—a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.
What is DES (Data Encryption Standard)?
An early symmetric encryption algorithm that uses a 64-bit key; now considered outdated due to vulnerabilities.
What is Triple DES (3DES)?
An enhancement of DES that applies encryption three times for improved security.
What is IDEA (International Data Encryption Algorithm)?
A symmetric encryption algorithm that uses a 128-bit key, known for being faster and more secure than DES.
What is AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)?
The current standard for symmetric encryption, supporting key sizes of 128, 192, or 256 bits for enhanced security.
What are Blowfish and Twofish?
Block cipher algorithms that offer flexibility with varying key lengths.
What is the Rivest Cipher (RC) Series?
Includes RC4 (a stream cipher) and RC5/RC6 (block ciphers), each with varying key sizes.
What is Diffie-Hellman?
A method used for secure key exchange between parties; however, it is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks.
What is RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman)?
A widely used asymmetric encryption algorithm for encryption, key exchange, and digital signatures.
What is Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)?
A form of public key cryptography that is efficient and secure, particularly useful in mobile devices and low-power environments.
What is MD5 (Message Digest Algorithm 5)?
Produces a 128-bit hash; it is now considered vulnerable due to security flaws.
What is the SHA (Secure Hash Algorithm) Family?
Includes various algorithms, such as SHA-1, SHA-2, and SHA-3, each providing different levels of security.
What is HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code)?
Combines hashing with a secret key to ensure data integrity and authenticity.
What is Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)?
A framework for managing digital keys and certificates necessary for secure data transfers.
What is Blockchain?
A decentralized, immutable ledger that ensures data integrity and transparency.
What are Smart Contracts?
Self-executing contracts with predefined conditions, coded directly onto the blockchain.
What is Supply Chain Management in Blockchain?
Tracks the origin and distribution of products to ensure transparency.
What is TPM (Trusted Platform Module)?
A hardware security module used for storing cryptographic keys.
