Difference between revisions of "Cryptography glossary"
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| Attack || Any process of trying to read encrypted information that is unwanted by the creator. | | Attack || Any process of trying to read encrypted information that is unwanted by the creator. | ||
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− | | Cipher || Any algorithm that converts plaintext into ciphertext. | + | | Cipher || Any algorithm that converts plaintext into ciphertext. Examples include the [[One-Time Pad]], [[Caesar Cipher]], and many others. |
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| Ciphertext || Ciphertext is information that has been encrypted and is no longer readable. Before it has been encrypted, it is called plaintext. | | Ciphertext || Ciphertext is information that has been encrypted and is no longer readable. Before it has been encrypted, it is called plaintext. | ||
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| Decrypt || The act of returning encrypted information to its original plainly read form through the use of a key. | | Decrypt || The act of returning encrypted information to its original plainly read form through the use of a key. | ||
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− | | Defeat || The | + | | Defeat || The act of circumventing a system to get secret information. |
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| Encrypt || The act of altering information so that it cannot be plainly read without first decrypting it using a key. | | Encrypt || The act of altering information so that it cannot be plainly read without first decrypting it using a key. | ||
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| Hash || The result of putting information through a hash function. | | Hash || The result of putting information through a hash function. | ||
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− | | Hash Function || | + | | Hash Function || A algorithm that converts an arbitrary amount of information into a fixed-length of information called a hash. Hash functions are one-way so the original information cannot be recovered from the hash. |
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− | | Key || The information necessary to decrypt information that has been encrypted. This is different than a password which is an easily-remembered piece of information that | + | | Key || The information necessary to decrypt information that has been encrypted. This is different than a password which is an easily-remembered piece of information that is usually converted into a key. |
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| Lookup Attack || An attack which uses a premade list to defeat a cipher, examples include dictionary attacks or rainbow attacks. Lookup attacks are often defeated by using a salt. | | Lookup Attack || An attack which uses a premade list to defeat a cipher, examples include dictionary attacks or rainbow attacks. Lookup attacks are often defeated by using a salt. | ||
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| Random || A produced value that cannot be predicted. Random values are extremely difficult to produce, and are usually pseudorandom. | | Random || A produced value that cannot be predicted. Random values are extremely difficult to produce, and are usually pseudorandom. | ||
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− | | Salt || Information added to plaintext before being encrypted to help prevent lookup attacks. | + | | Salt || Information added to plaintext before being hashed or encrypted to help prevent lookup attacks. |
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Revision as of 13:47, 13 October 2017
This is a list of common cryptography terms and their meanings.
Word | Definition |
---|---|
Attack | Any process of trying to read encrypted information that is unwanted by the creator. |
Cipher | Any algorithm that converts plaintext into ciphertext. Examples include the One-Time Pad, Caesar Cipher, and many others. |
Ciphertext | Ciphertext is information that has been encrypted and is no longer readable. Before it has been encrypted, it is called plaintext. |
Crack | The process of determining the plaintext of ciphertext without needing the key. In cryptography, the goal is to make ciphers that are uncrackable. |
Decrypt | The act of returning encrypted information to its original plainly read form through the use of a key. |
Defeat | The act of circumventing a system to get secret information. |
Encrypt | The act of altering information so that it cannot be plainly read without first decrypting it using a key. |
Hash | The result of putting information through a hash function. |
Hash Function | A algorithm that converts an arbitrary amount of information into a fixed-length of information called a hash. Hash functions are one-way so the original information cannot be recovered from the hash. |
Key | The information necessary to decrypt information that has been encrypted. This is different than a password which is an easily-remembered piece of information that is usually converted into a key. |
Lookup Attack | An attack which uses a premade list to defeat a cipher, examples include dictionary attacks or rainbow attacks. Lookup attacks are often defeated by using a salt. |
Password | A password is a piece of information that can be remembered which is used to generate a key to decrypt ciphertext. |
Plaintext | Plaintext refers to readable information before it has been encrypted. Once plaintext has been encrypted, it becomes ciphertext. |
Pseudorandom | Something that appears random, but isn't. Most values generated by computers are actually pseudorandom rather than random. |
Random | A produced value that cannot be predicted. Random values are extremely difficult to produce, and are usually pseudorandom. |
Salt | Information added to plaintext before being hashed or encrypted to help prevent lookup attacks. |