Week 36: Security
This week's content had to do with the most crucial aspect of computer networking, Network Security. In the reading, I learned that the four critical properties of secure communications are confidentiality, Message Integrity, End-point authentication, and Operational Security. These four ideas are why we can send and receive data securely. Data is generally encrypted to ensure confidentiality and integrity, so we can use Symmetric key systems and Asymmetric key systems.
Key points:
Symmetric Encryptions:
- Use one key that this kept secret by the systems engaged in encryption and decryption processes.
- A single key is used for both.
- Generally Very Secure, Fast.
- Used for large data.
- DES, 3DES, AES, IDEA, RC4, and RC5 are some symmetric key algorithms.
Asymmetric Encryptions (Public Key Encryption)
- The key is split into two corresponding parts: public and private key.
- The public key is secure to give out publicly to all those who ask for it.
- Allows for encrypting messages and verifying signatures
- The private key must remain private and not be given out.
- The private key is used for decrypting messages and the generation of signatures.
- Solve problems two problems symmetric key algorithms cannot: key distribution and nonrepudiation. Privacy problems and authenticity problems.