Computer and Information Security Handbook, 2nd Edition

Chapter 2

A Cryptography Primer

Scott R. Ellis, EnCE, RCA,    kCura – Relativity Infrastructure Engineering, Manager

Cryptography, as a word, literally means the “study of hidden writing.” It comes from the Greek κρυπτς, “hidden, secret”; and from γράφειν, graphein, “writing,” or -λογα, -logia, “study.”¹ In practice, it is so much more than that. The 0s and 1s of compiled software binary, something that frequently requires encryption, can hardly be considered “writing.” Were a new word for cryptography to be invented today, it would probably be “secret ...