Case Study

Case Study 3

David Pitreski

Principles of Systems and Information Security

3/23/2014

Introduction

Encryption is considered the science of scrambling messages for secure transmission. There are two methods of encryption that are being considered for use by ABC. They are symmetric and asymmetric. Symmetric is a faster method of transmission, while asymmetric is more secure. ABC must decide which of these methods will work the best for their business. When choosing between symmetric and asymmetric methods, it is best to look at the pros and cons of each and evaluate which will fit your needs the best. They have important information that must be kept from competitors so security is very important to this company when sending and receiving this information. In some instances speed is more important than being secure and sometimes security is the most important. Understanding the differences between the two will help in making the appropriate decision.

Symmetric

Symmetric key cryptography requires the use of one shared key for the encryption process. While the algorithm of the symmetric encryption method is very secure, it is the key disbursement that creates a downfall to this choice. When using one shared key to decrypt and encrypt, information can be compromised if that key is discovered. If the key is discovered, that individual will be able to decrypt the message that the key holds. This is major security risk especially since ABC is sending secret information. Symmetric is faster but lacks the security aspects that come along with asymmetrical. Sending a key that unlocks all the information over the internet is a scary thing and should be avoided if possible. Symmetric keys are also more susceptible to brute force attacks. If the keys are held securely this method will work but key distribution can be very difficult and unreliable.

Asymmetric

Asymmetric encryption which is also known as public key encryption requires...