Crypto

1.Crypto Tool

Humanity has concerned itself with the topic of cryptology for three thousand years. However, until the mid-20th century it was a topic of importance to only a small interested group -- diplomats and the armed forces. In any military conflict, exchange of confidential information and eavesdropping is crucial for survival. Due to the sensitive subject matter the vast majority of crypto research was done in secrecy in the past.

With the advent of the information age and the introduction of the internet for public use, new scenarios for cryptographic techniques became available, e.g.:

• • Encrypted connections and secure authentication for online banking

  • Encrypted communication in mobile phone networks

  • Encrypted and binding communication via e-mail

  • Electronic alternatives for a handwritten signature

  • Electronic protection of (intellectual) property (DVD, Pay-TV)

  • Car-theft protection systems (immobiliser)

Even though the above listing of non-military, commercially driven applications is incomplete, it demonstrates that today cryptology affects every member of the information society. Thus, research and teaching in the field of cryptology are of great importance.

At first the crypto research in the commercial sector has been performed with the public excluded. As a consequence of unpleasant experiences with the Security by Obscurity approach, companies gradually adopted the so-called Kerckhoffs' principle, which was already formulated in 1883.

The security of a cryptographic system must not depend on the secrecy of the algorithm. The security is only predicated on the secrecy of the key.

For more information visit

http://www.cryptool.org/en/ctp-education-en/231-ctp-education