CompTIA Security+ Certification Study Guide, 3rd Edition

CHAPTER 11General Cryptographic Concepts

EXAM OBJECTIVES IN THIS CHAPTER

General Cryptography

Encryption Algorithms

Protocols

Cryptography in Operating Systems

INTRODUCTION

Cryptography—from the Greek kryptos, meaning “hidden, secret,” and grapho, meaning “I write”—is the science and practice of secret communications. Because of many overlaps between merely hiding information and making it possible to determine whether or not information has been tampered with, both integrity and confidentiality are significant elements of cryptography.

Cryptography strikes a number of emotions in the heart of the reader—because it has elements of extremely complex mathematics, it can be viewed as somewhat dry and dull; because it frequently requires the reader ...