The role of cryptography in information security

Cryptography is an information security tactic used to protect corporate information and communications against cyber threats through the use of codes. At Triskele Labs, we consider it the art of hiding information to prevent unauthorized access to your data.

This practice refers to secure information and communication techniques derived from mathematical concepts and a set of rule-based calculations, called algorithms, to transform messages in ways that are difficult to decipher.

These algorithms are then used for cryptographic key generation, digital signing, verification to protect data protection, web browsing on the Internet and confidential communications such as credit card transactions and emails.

Cryptography achieves several information security-related goals, including confidentiality, integrity and authentication, and non-rejection. In this post, we explore what these reveal about cryptography.

Cryptography protects the confidentiality of the information
Confidentiality is a key priority when it comes to cryptography. This means that only persons with the correct permission can access the transmitted information and that this information is protected against unauthorized access at all stages of its life cycle.

Confidentiality is necessary to maintain the privacy of those whose personal information is stored in the Company’s systems. Encryption is therefore the only way to ensure that your information remains secure while being stored and transmitted.

Even when the transmission or storage medium has been compromised, the encrypted information is virtually useless to unauthorized persons without the proper decryption keys.

It ensures the integrity of your data
In the security environment, integrity refers to the accuracy of information systems and their data.

If a system possesses integrity, it means that the data in the system is moved and processed in predictable ways. Even when the data is processed, it does not change.

Cryptography ensures the integrity of data using hashing algorithms and message summaries. By providing codes and digital keys to ensure that the received is genuine and from the intended sender, the recipient is assured that the received data has not been tampered with during the transmission.

This ensures that the sender or receiver is the right one
Cryptography also helps you ensure that the identity of both sender and recipient and the origin or destination of the information are correct — the most important being the latter.

Once the source of information is identified, it is much easier for your teams to communicate securely.

Authentication is only possible through a special key exchange used by the sender to prove his identity. This usually involves a username and password, but may also include other methods such as a smart card, retinal scan, voice recognition, or fingerprint scanning.

Both sender and receiver are held accountable through non-rejection
In this context, non-rejection refers to the confirmation of a transmitted message that is either sent or received. This principle ensures that the sender can not deny that he / she has sent the data. It uses digital signatures to prevent the sender from denying the origin of the data.

It is also a way of guaranteeing that the recipient does not deny having received the message.

Cryptography also ensures the availability of data
Cryptography also supports the availability of data by guaranteeing that people with the right permission can use systems and retrieve data in a reliable and timely manner. This ensures that the information systems are reliable and accessible.

Maintain information security with powerful cryptography strategies
Information security is one of the biggest concerns for companies operating competitively in the modern business environment. When executed through the right strategies, cryptography helps you protect your intellectual property and prevents it from falling victim to cyber threats and threat actors.

Get in touch with our team at Triskele Labs and discover how we can help you protect your data and integrate cryptography into your security strategies and systems.

In the meantime, you can also explore other strategies, including web application penetration testing, internal network penetration testing, or cybersecurity awareness training, and take proactive steps to secure critical business resources.