Chapter 8
Cryptography
In This Chapter
Unlocking cryptography and its alternatives
Understanding the differences between symmetric and asymmetric key systems
Getting a grasp on what keys are and how to use them
Keeping online information secure by using cryptography
Knowing how the bad guys can attack an encryption system
This is the part where Good Will Hunting meets the Rain Man and A Beautiful Mind. If solving long, complex, theoretical math problems on windowpanes isn’t your forte, you’ll probably want to read this chapter slowly and carefully — then perhaps read it again.
Cryptography (from the Greek kryptos, meaning hidden, and graphia, meaning writing) is the science of encrypting and decrypting communications to make them unintelligible for all but the intended recipient.