ABSTRACT

Encryption technologies have been used for thousands of years and, thus, being able read the secrets they are protecting has always been of great interest. As the value of our secrets have increased, so have the technological innovations used to protect them. One of the key goals of those who want to keep secrets is to keep ahead of techniques used by their attackers. For today’s IT systems, there is increased interest in safeguarding company and personal information, and therefore the use of cryptography is growing. Many software vendors have responded to these demands and are providing encryption functions, software, and hardware. Unfortunately, many of these products may not be providing the protection that the vendors are claiming or customers are expecting. Also, as with most crypto usage throughout history, people tend to defeat much of the protection afforded by the technology through misuse or inappropriate use. Therefore, the use of cryptography must be appropriate to the required goals and this strategy must be constantly reassessed. To use cryptography correctly, the weaknesses of systems must be understood.