[Teisha Nolen]

Encryption is a code of sorts that is put in place as an attempt to keep private the data that we are sending over the internet. I say “as an attempt” because just like any other code, encryption code can be cracked by those who know what to look for. Encryption falls into one of 2 main categories: Symmetric Encryption, meaning the same key can be used for both encryption and decryption, and Asymmetric Encryption, meaning an encrypted message cannot be decrypted using the same key. At first glance, one would think that Asymmetric Encryption would be the better type to use, however, this type of encryption uses a lot of resources, and therefore can be impractical for large amounts of data.

Some of the more common types of encryptions are AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), IPsec (Internet Protocol Security), and RSA (named after its inventors, Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman). AES is a symmetric encryption that encrypts data in 128-bit blocks and then arranges them in a grid to further complicate decryption. This type of encryption is used for most end-to-end encryption applications.

IPsec is an encryption method commonly used for VPNs, such as the one that I use to work remotely in my current role. The purpose of IPsec is to provide privacy and data integrity using a process called “hashing algorithms.”

RAS is a secure method of encryption that multiplies large prime numbers to create an encryption key.

As you can see, there are many different encryption methods, keeping the data we send safe. As technology (as well as hackers) continues to evolve, I imagine we will continue to see encryption methods evolve as well.

Hauk, C. (2021, May 31). Common encryption types explained. Pixel Privacy. https://pixelprivacy.com/information-security/common-encryption-types-explained/