Encryption vs. Cryptography — What's the Difference?

A method to secure data by converting it into a coded form.

Includes the creation and analysis of security protocols.

Dependent on keys for the encoding and decoding process.

Broadly applicable in digital security and data protection.

Utilizes algorithms to transform plaintext into ciphertext.

Aims to secure data against unauthorized access and tampering.

Primarily protects data confidentiality.

The study of principles and techniques for secure communication.

Implemented in various technologies for security.

Ensures data integrity, confidentiality, and authenticity.

In cryptography, encryption is the process of encoding information. This process converts the original representation of the information, known as plaintext, into an alternative form known as ciphertext.

Cryptography, or cryptology (from Ancient Greek: κρυπτός, romanized: kryptós "hidden, secret"; and γράφειν graphein, "to write", or -λογία -logia, "study", respectively), is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adversarial behavior. More generally, cryptography is about constructing and analyzing protocols that prevent third parties or the public from reading private messages; various aspects in information security such as data confidentiality, data integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation are central to modern cryptography.

The process or result of encrypting data.

(Computers) Any of various mathematical techniques for encrypting and decrypting data in order to keep it private when transmitted or stored electronically.

Cryptography.

The process or skill of communicating in or deciphering secret writings or ciphers.

(cryptography) The process of obscuring information to make it unreadable without special knowledge, key files, or passwords.

Secret writing.

(cryptography) A ciphertext, a cryptogram, an encrypted value. Usually used with the preposition "of" followed by the value that is hidden in it.

The discipline concerned with communication security (eg, confidentiality of messages, integrity of messages, sender authentication, non-repudiation of messages, and many other related issues), regardless of the used medium such as pencil and paper or computers.

The process of converting messages in ordinary language, or other information into a secret coded form that cannot be interpreted without knowing the secret method for interpretation, called the key.

The act or art of writing in code or secret characters; also, secret characters, codes or ciphers, or messages written in a secret code.

The activity of converting from plain text into code

The science which studies methods for encoding messages so that they can be read only by a person who knows the secret information required for decoding, called the key; it includes cryptanalysis, the science of decoding encrypted messages without possessing the proper key, and has several other branches; see for example steganography.

The science of analyzing and deciphering codes and ciphers and cryptograms

Act of writing in code or cipher

Common techniques include symmetric-key and asymmetric-key encryption.

Encryption is the process of converting plain text into a scrambled format known only to authorized parties.

No, encryption is a subset of cryptography and relies on its principles and techniques.

Cryptography is a broader field that includes encryption as well as other methods like hashing and digital signatures to secure information.

While encryption secures data against unauthorized access, additional measures like hashing and digital signatures are needed for complete security.

Asymmetric encryption uses two keys (public and private) for encryption and decryption, whereas symmetric encryption uses a single shared key.

Cryptography provides the necessary techniques for secure communication over the internet, including encryption, digital signatures, and secure protocols.

Hash functions convert data into a fixed-size string of bytes, typically used for integrity checks.

Effective key management is crucial as the security of encrypted data depends on the secrecy and integrity of the keys.

Quantum computing poses challenges to current cryptographic methods, necessitating the development of quantum-resistant algorithms.

Cryptography is used in various applications such as secure email communication, online banking, and maintaining digital privacy.

Challenges include quantum computing threats, ensuring user privacy while complying with legal intercept regulations, and managing complex encryption keys.

Digital signatures ensure the authenticity and integrity of a message or document by using cryptographic techniques.

While cryptography significantly enhances security, no system is entirely secure against all potential attacks.

Cryptography has evolved from simple cipher systems to complex algorithms supported by advanced mathematics and computer science.