Encryption Explained.

Encryption is all around us. Up, down, left, center, every where you look is Encryption. But who is this encryption? And how does it work?

Well at a basic level encryption is the replacing of useful, understandable data with a seemingly meaningless arrangement of useless data. This makes the data secure as no-one can understand it. Good examples of this style of encryption would be train and bus timetables.

Encryption has its roots in the ‘cryptography'; or code making efforts, of early years. The first notable use of this is when cave men devised simple codes to hide their affairs from their wives[1]. These are now called ‘cave paintings' and commonly sell for more then ten bucks each.

Codes usually worked by replacing words or letters with other words or letters that can be reverted back to the original words or letters by someone who knows what words or letters to change. This style of encryption was most famously used during the world wars as a way of troops passing secret coded love messages securely.

These codes however were created by humans and as such could be easily cracked in ten minutes using Qbasic[2]. Early computer scientists such as Florence Nightingale realized the advantage of using a computer to create a code, as then a computer cracking it would be more equally matched. This was met with moderate success, taking the computer almost 18 years to encrypt the letter ‘J'.

Luckily however, computers nowadays have far more processing power allowing for quicker and more frequent calculations, and continual crashing and data destroying.

This has meant that the encryption we know today is far more complex then ever before. Working on a series of math based algorithms, so confusing women are not allowed to see them; modern encryption hides data extremely securely, aiming to stop any unwanted access.

This type of Encryption is used on all sort of highly confidential information such as bank account information, private correspondence's or the fact you're actually quite conservitive.

The way in which this encryption works is by using a series of ‘keys' called ‘keys'. These are secret code strings passed from computer to computer allowing your private data to be seen by only you and employees at Google.

The rise of Encryption as the no#1 method of encrypting[3] though has raised serious points on its safety. No code can be officially declared uncrackable, meaning with enough time your ‘secret' data could be compromised. This should not worry you unduly though, as only Bill Gates has the computer power to attempt such a feat, and he is a notoriously poor programmer.

It has been suggested that the NSA[4] has computers strong enough to break any Encryption commercially available, but this is not commonly believed because they are all residents of a country that elected George Bush as its President. Twice.

In short Encryption is a hip-happening fun technology that no website designer should be without. So don't fail, learn Encryption Today!

Brown, D. (2005) The Encryption Code, Boring and Dull

Bush, G. (2001) Suddam: My part in his downfall, Super Power Fake Stuff

Caveman, A. (30000bc) grunt ug eh encryption, Mammoth Books

Gorman, D. (1999) Dave Gorman's encryption salvation, Drunk Bet Books

Nightingale, F. (1860) Making the code, Crimean Press

Surrenders, Lay. (2002) Embezzlement for Dummies, Norne OEC

[1] These codes were actually so successful that the cave men got away with their ‘fun' until a woolly mammoth with a big mouth accidentally let the cat out of the cave.

[2] Or a week an a half in .net.

[3] Encryption officially overtook just telling people not to look at something in 1982. This was just six months after society lost its last certified moral.

[4] National Security Agenda