What is Cryptography?
Cryptography Definition: Secret writing. Today provides the ability to achieve confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, non-repudiation, and access control.
Understanding Cryptography
Secret writing. Today provides the ability to achieve confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, non-repudiation, and access control. Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for securing information and communications through the use of mathematical algorithms that transform readable data plaintext into unintelligible form ciphertext. It enables security services including confidentiality, integrity verification, authentication, and non-repudiation. Cryptographic standards include FIPS 140-2 3, NIST SP 800-57, and various algorithm specifications. Organizations implement cryptography through encryption, digital signatures, secure key management, and cryptographic protocols following frameworks like ISO 27001 and NIST CSF. For example, a healthcare provider might use cryptography to encrypt patient records in storage, secure data transmissions, authenticate system users, and verify the integrity of medical records. Related terms: Encryption, Decryption, Public key cryptography, Symmetric encryption, Hash functions, Digital signatures, Key management.