Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for securing communication and data from unauthorized access or alteration. It involves the use of mathematical algorithms and keys to encrypt (convert into a secure format) and decrypt (revert to the original format) information, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation. Key concepts in cryptography include symmetric-key encryption, where the same key is used for both encryption and decryption, and asymmetric-key encryption, which uses a pair of public and private keys. Common cryptographic protocols and standards include AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman), and SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security). Cryptography is fundamental in securing online transactions, protecting sensitive data, and maintaining privacy in digital communications.
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is rapidly becoming a standard feature in messaging applications. It ensures that only the sender and the recipient can access the messages, texts, media, and calls exchanged between them. Notably, popular platforms like WhatsApp, iMessage, Signal, and soon Messenger and Instagram Direct Messaging are adopting this technology to enhance user privacy. This…
