Science of securing information through encoding, ensuring only authorised parties can access it.
Cryptography is the science of securing information by transforming it into unreadable form (ciphertext) that can only be decoded by authorised parties with the correct keys. Modern cryptography protects data confidentiality (encryption), integrity (hashing), authenticity (digital signatures), and non-repudiation (proving origin). Cryptographic algorithms underpin virtually all digital security—HTTPS, VPNs, disk encryption, digital signatures, and secure communications all rely on cryptography.
Why It Matters
The DSC Perspective:
Cryptography is fundamental to digital security. While you don't need to understand the mathematics, understanding what cryptography provides and when to use it informs security decisions.