Cryptography
What is Cryptography?
CryptographyThe science of securing information through mathematical techniques that provide confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation in the presence of adversaries.
Cryptography is the discipline that designs and analyses algorithms for protecting data and communications against eavesdropping, tampering, and impersonation. Modern cryptography combines number theory, algebra, probability, and complexity theory to build primitives such as block and stream ciphers, public-key systems, hash functions, message authentication codes, and digital signatures. Cryptographic security is generally evaluated under formal models (e.g., IND-CPA, EUF-CMA) and relies on hard mathematical problems like integer factorization, discrete logarithms, or learning-with-errors. Standards bodies such as NIST, ISO, and IETF publish vetted algorithms; ad-hoc or homegrown crypto is strongly discouraged because subtle flaws are catastrophic and rarely visible without expert review.
● Examples
- 01
TLS uses cryptography to encrypt web traffic and authenticate servers.
- 02
Signal Protocol uses cryptography to provide end-to-end encrypted messaging.
● Frequently asked questions
What is Cryptography?
The science of securing information through mathematical techniques that provide confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation in the presence of adversaries. It belongs to the Cryptography category of cybersecurity.
What does Cryptography mean?
The science of securing information through mathematical techniques that provide confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation in the presence of adversaries.
How do you defend against Cryptography?
Defences for Cryptography typically combine technical controls and operational practices, as detailed in the full definition above.
What are other names for Cryptography?
Common alternative names include: Crypto, Cryptology.