Mathematics@University

Introduction to Cryptography Notes Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adversaries. It uses mathematical algorithms to convert a readable message, known as  plaintext , into an unintelligible, coded message, known as  ciphertext , and back again.   The primary goals of cryptography are to ensure data security through:   Confidentiality:  Ensures that information can only be accessed by authorized parties. Integrity:  Guarantees that data remains accurate and unaltered during transit or storage. Authentication:  Verifies the identities of the sender and receiver. Non-repudiation:  Prevents a sender from denying that they sent a message.   Basic terminology and processes Encryption:   The process of converting plaintext into ciphertext using an algorithm and a key. Decryption:  The process of converting ciphertext back into plaintext using a key. Key:  A piece of critic...