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Cryptography
I carry my unwritten poems in cipher on my face!
—George Eliot
This chapter introduces you to algorithms related to cryptography. We will start by presenting the background, then we will discuss symmetric encryption algorithms. We will then explain the Message-Digest 5 (MD5) algorithm and the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) and present the limitations and weaknesses of symmetric algorithms. Next, we will discuss asymmetric encryption algorithms and how they are used to create digital certificates. Finally, we will present a practical example that summarizes all of these techniques.
By the end of this chapter, you will have a basic understanding of various issues related to cryptography.
The following topics are discussed in this ...
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