What is Cryptography?

Cryptography

Cryptography is the science of protecting information by transforming it into an unreadable format, so only authorized parties can read and process it. This process, known as encryption, uses algorithms and keys to convert plaintext into ciphertext.

Decrypting it back to readable form requires a corresponding key. Cryptography is used in securing communications (SSL/TLS), safeguarding data at rest, and ensuring the integrity and authenticity of data.

Two primary forms of cryptography are symmetric (same key for encryption and decryption) and asymmetric (public/private key pairs).