Cryptography in general has been one of the hottest topics for at least a decade. Popularized with the advent of bitcoin in the late 2000s, this technology was until then little known to the general public. Since then, it has experienced an ever-increasing popularity. At a time when information has become more than ever the sinews of war, cryptography is undoubtedly experiencing its hour of glory. It is therefore useful to understand its origin and reason for being.
History and importance of cryptography
Without crypto, bitcoin and cryptos in general would not exist today. Understanding the origin and importance of this discipline involves questioning the past. Because cryptography is not the result of chance. It is the response to a major concern common to all human beings: the concern for confidentiality.
It is true that today it is one of the major strategic challenges of the 21st century. The need to raise it is nevertheless established at least since 2000 years before Jesus-Christ. Indeed, it is demonstrated that the first sources of cryptography date from the time of hieroglyphs. The understanding of his schematic figurative drawings, already very elitist for that time, was then reserved for a restricted circle of initiates. This tendency is found a few centuries later in the Roman general Julius Caesar.
It is notably with him that the first known use of a cryptographic system can be seen. Indeed, not trusting his messengers, Caesar designs a communication mechanism based on the Latin alphabet. An ingenious process in which each character of his texts is replaced by a character located three points higher in the alphabet. This is the whole meaning of the word “cryptography” whose prefix “crypt-“ means ” hidden » and the suffix « — spelling » « writing “.
The effectiveness of this technique will later make its reputation and promote its dissemination throughout the world. It is today at the heart of fierce battles between the most brilliant mathematicians and computer scientists of our time. Because cryptography has established itself as the fundamental element of success in business and especially in war. We understand why several governments are rebelling against the democratization of its methods, in whatever form.
Methods and typology of cryptography
From the genesis of cryptography, one thing is obvious. Concretely, it promotes the security of data and messages so that only the sender and the recipient can access them. The question that can legitimately be asked is how is this possible? The answer lies in the methods developed to achieve this result. The latter suddenly allow a classification of cryptography into two main branches. Symmetric cryptographyAnd asymmetric cryptography are the two main methods used to secure messages and digital data.
Symmetric Cryptography
One of the simplest and most widely used techniques for encrypting and decrypting electronic data, symmetric cryptography is based on A key principle. Hence the origin of its name of secret (private) key cryptography. The latter is also reminiscent of the magic formula ” Open Sesame “ in the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Without it, neither party can communicate. In fact, the sender and the recipient must both have the same key. Without what“sesame”to which it is supposed to give access will simply remain encrypted.
To achieve this encryption, cryptography essentially uses encryption algorithms which are basically of two types. There are in particular the flow algorithmsand the block algorithms. The first type encrypts data during transmission. One of the most popular stream encryption algorithms is the Rivest Cipher 4 (RC4). The second, on the other hand, proceeds in reverse of the first by storing the information in the memory of the system. Its most famous example is the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).
Beyond its apparent effectiveness, symmetric cryptography has a flaw. The message will be accessible to any third party having the key. A shortcoming that corrects asymmetric cryptography.
Asymmetric cryptography
Also known as public key cryptography, this cryptographic methodinvolves the use of two keys. The first, a public key essential for sending and encrypting messages, is accessible to everyone. The second, a private key obviously, is kept secret for the decoding of the message.
Both are complementary for sending and receiving particularly sensitive data and information. They are above all interdependent because they are intimately linked from a mathematical point of view. Which makes asymmetric cryptography much more efficient than symmetric cryptography. The keys used in the context of the latter can also be encrypted by the asymmetric cryptographic method. This, even though the latter has the disadvantage of only being applicable to a small amount of data.
Added tothe hash function methoda third type of cryptography which does not use a key, symmetric cryptography and asymmetric cryptography have everything to apply to a wide range of uses. These include card transactions and payment applications, signature verification to ensure the sender’s identity, random number generation. Securing e-mails and messages is one of the key uses of cryptography. This, in the same way as company data, personal identification data, or files deemed critical and sensitive, such as online payment information. This means that the stakes and challenges of cryptography are considerable.
Cryptography Issues and Challenges
Undoubtedly, cryptography is the alpha and omega of technological progress today and tomorrow. Indeed, at a time of the explosion of cryptos based on the blockchain, the flowering of startups dedicated to this technology, and the desire of States to control what is happening in this sector, cryptography is simply becoming essential. .
Needless to say, its mastery and control have become a vital strategic issue for companies and States. This applies to individuals, many of whom see it as a way to get rid of the authoritarian excesses of governments, in a context of restriction of fundamental freedoms.
This is one of the biggest challenges in cryptography, which still has to work to guarantee the security and freedom of all. A titanic problem that has not yet been solved. For example, many criticize central bank digital currency (CBDC) projects. The reason is that it increases the risks of sustained government control over individuals. A legitimate argument, when we know that at the base, cryptography could bring more power, freedom and confidentiality to citizens.
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