Difference between revisions of "Cryptography glossary"
(16 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
− | This is a list of common cryptography terms and their meanings. | + | This is a list of some of the more common [[cryptography|cryptographic]] terms and their meanings. |
− | {| class="wikitable" | + | {| class="wikitable" |
− | ! | + | ! Term !! Definition |
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Asymmetric key algorithms || Those ciphers that require one key to encrypt and a different key to decrypt. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Attack || Any process of trying to bypass encryption without the key or get unauthorized access to a key. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | [[Brute force attack]] || An attack which attempts every possible password combination. They guarantee a correct answer, but usually take too long to be feasible. Also known as an exhaustive search. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Cipher || Any algorithm that converts plaintext into ciphertext. Examples include the [[Caesar cipher]], [[one-time pad]], and many others. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Ciphertext || Ciphertext is information that has been encrypted through a cipher and is no longer readable. Before it has been encrypted, it is called plaintext. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Crack || The process of deciphering information without needing the key or by guessing the key. In cryptography, the goal is to make ciphers that are uncrackable. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | Encrypt || The act of | + | | Decrypt || The act of deciphering information to its original plainly readable form through the use of a key. |
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Defeat || The act of circumventing a system to get secret information. This can include cracking a cipher, obtaining keys through theft or subterfuge, or any other manner. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Encrypt || The act of enciphering information so that it cannot be plainly read without first decrypting it using a key. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Hash || The result of putting information through a hash function. | | Hash || The result of putting information through a hash function. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | Hash | + | | Hash function || A algorithm that converts an arbitrary amount of information into a fixed-length of information called a hash. Hash functions are one-way so the original information cannot be recovered from the hash. |
|- | |- | ||
| Key || The information necessary to decrypt information that has been encrypted. This is different than a password which is an easily-remembered piece of information that is usually converted into a key. | | Key || The information necessary to decrypt information that has been encrypted. This is different than a password which is an easily-remembered piece of information that is usually converted into a key. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | Lookup | + | | Lookup attack || An attack which uses a premade list to defeat a cipher, examples include a [[dictionary attack]] and a [[rainbow attack]]. Lookup attacks are often defeated by using a salt. |
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Man in the middle attack || An attack where someone intercepts an encrypted message, and replaces it with a different message. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Nonce || A one-time random salt used to prevent attacks like a [[replay attack]]. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | Password || A password is a piece of information that can be remembered which is used to generate a key to decrypt ciphertext. | + | | Password || A password is a piece of information that can be remembered which is used to generate a key to decrypt ciphertext. |
|- | |- | ||
| Plaintext || Plaintext refers to readable information before it has been encrypted. Once plaintext has been encrypted, it becomes ciphertext. | | Plaintext || Plaintext refers to readable information before it has been encrypted. Once plaintext has been encrypted, it becomes ciphertext. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Private key || A key that must only be known to the sender and recipient in order for the encryption to be secure. Most traditional ciphers use a private key. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | Random || A produced value that cannot be predicted. Random values are extremely difficult to produce, and are usually pseudorandom. | + | | [[Pseudorandomness|Pseudorandom]] || Something that appears random, but isn't. Most values generated by computers are actually pseudorandom rather than random. |
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Public key || A key that is made public, and can be used to encrypt plaintext into ciphertext that can only be decrypted with a private key. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Public key encryption || A form of encryption where a public key is generated from a private key. The public key is made freely available, and when plaintext is encrypted, it should only be able to be decrypted with the private key. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | [[Randomness|Random]] || A produced value that cannot be predicted. Random values are extremely difficult to produce, and are usually pseudorandom. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Salt || Information added to plaintext before being hashed or encrypted to help prevent lookup attacks. | | Salt || Information added to plaintext before being hashed or encrypted to help prevent lookup attacks. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Symmetric key algorithms || Those ciphers that can be encrypted and decrypted with the same key. Most traditional ciphers use a symmetric key algorithm. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Trapdoor function || A mathematical function that is easy to compute one-way, but difficult to compute in reverse. Trapdoor functions are found in asymmetric key algorithms for public key encryption. | ||
|} | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | [[Category: Cryptography]] |
Latest revision as of 16:52, 8 March 2022
This is a list of some of the more common cryptographic terms and their meanings.
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Asymmetric key algorithms | Those ciphers that require one key to encrypt and a different key to decrypt. |
Attack | Any process of trying to bypass encryption without the key or get unauthorized access to a key. |
Brute force attack | An attack which attempts every possible password combination. They guarantee a correct answer, but usually take too long to be feasible. Also known as an exhaustive search. |
Cipher | Any algorithm that converts plaintext into ciphertext. Examples include the Caesar cipher, one-time pad, and many others. |
Ciphertext | Ciphertext is information that has been encrypted through a cipher and is no longer readable. Before it has been encrypted, it is called plaintext. |
Crack | The process of deciphering information without needing the key or by guessing the key. In cryptography, the goal is to make ciphers that are uncrackable. |
Decrypt | The act of deciphering information to its original plainly readable form through the use of a key. |
Defeat | The act of circumventing a system to get secret information. This can include cracking a cipher, obtaining keys through theft or subterfuge, or any other manner. |
Encrypt | The act of enciphering information so that it cannot be plainly read without first decrypting it using a key. |
Hash | The result of putting information through a hash function. |
Hash function | A algorithm that converts an arbitrary amount of information into a fixed-length of information called a hash. Hash functions are one-way so the original information cannot be recovered from the hash. |
Key | The information necessary to decrypt information that has been encrypted. This is different than a password which is an easily-remembered piece of information that is usually converted into a key. |
Lookup attack | An attack which uses a premade list to defeat a cipher, examples include a dictionary attack and a rainbow attack. Lookup attacks are often defeated by using a salt. |
Man in the middle attack | An attack where someone intercepts an encrypted message, and replaces it with a different message. |
Nonce | A one-time random salt used to prevent attacks like a replay attack. |
Password | A password is a piece of information that can be remembered which is used to generate a key to decrypt ciphertext. |
Plaintext | Plaintext refers to readable information before it has been encrypted. Once plaintext has been encrypted, it becomes ciphertext. |
Private key | A key that must only be known to the sender and recipient in order for the encryption to be secure. Most traditional ciphers use a private key. |
Pseudorandom | Something that appears random, but isn't. Most values generated by computers are actually pseudorandom rather than random. |
Public key | A key that is made public, and can be used to encrypt plaintext into ciphertext that can only be decrypted with a private key. |
Public key encryption | A form of encryption where a public key is generated from a private key. The public key is made freely available, and when plaintext is encrypted, it should only be able to be decrypted with the private key. |
Random | A produced value that cannot be predicted. Random values are extremely difficult to produce, and are usually pseudorandom. |
Salt | Information added to plaintext before being hashed or encrypted to help prevent lookup attacks. |
Symmetric key algorithms | Those ciphers that can be encrypted and decrypted with the same key. Most traditional ciphers use a symmetric key algorithm. |
Trapdoor function | A mathematical function that is easy to compute one-way, but difficult to compute in reverse. Trapdoor functions are found in asymmetric key algorithms for public key encryption. |