Assignment 7

ASSIGNMNET 7

Questions:

1.Describe how asymmetric encryption and decryption works?

Asymmetric encryption is also called as public key encryption. In this type of encryption there are two keys used, one for encryption (public key) and other for decryption (private key). Keys are often 512 bits or 1.024 bits in length. Public key encryption is one of the safest encryption method in use today.

In this type of encryption the public keys are known to everyone, as in they are published. When a organization X wants to send an encrypted message to another organization Y, they just look for the public key of organization Y ,which in turn encrypts the data using Y's public key.

When organization Y receives this encrypted message through their network, their private key decrypts the data. Public key encryption also allows use of digital signatures through authentication. Some times the private key can perform the job of an public key and vice versa.

2.What is key management?

Key management as the name suggests managing the key in cryptography. The key used is same in symmetrical encryption and decryption and is different for asymmetric encryption and decryption. Key is usually a numeric value. Key management deals with key generation, exchange, storage, safeguarding, use and replacement of keys.

3.How does PGP differ from SSL?

Pretty good privacy (PGP) uses a public key to encrypt and a private key to decrypt. While this is similar to public key encryption, it is different. In asymmetric encryption method the public key and private key can perform both encryption and decryption. But in PGP the organizations private key is always kept private while the public key is posted on the web page. Any organization needing to send encrypted data justs need to copy paste the key into a PGP software.

Secure sockets layer (SSL) is a encryption protocol operating between the transport and application layer on the web. Outgoing messages...