Public-key Encryption

Saint Leo University
Network Theory & Design
COM-309
Dr. Eduardo Bautista
August 01, 2014

Public-key Encryption
Intent
The intent of this paper is to present the reader with an explanation of Public-key encryption without delving too deeply into the math behind encryption schemes to better facilitate understanding for the layperson.
Introduction
Cryptography is a fascinating world that predates computers. Beginning in ancient times through the revolutionary period and into modern times, there have been many schemes to protect sensitive data. Notable technics are George Washington's book-key ciphers, Thomas Jefferson’s ‘cylinder,’ (Menezes, Van Oorschot, & Vanstone, 1997, p. 243) and the Nazi Enigma Machine of World War II. (Piper & Murphy, 2002) There has always been a need to have secure communications and the ability to safeguard data that has been intercepted.
Modern Cryptology is an art form that uses the science of mathematics in order to provide secrecy, authenticity, and security in the transport of data. “Cryptology also enables us to create trust relationships over open networks; more in general, cryptographic protocols allow mutually distrusting parties to achieving a common goal while protecting their own interests.” (Furnell, Katsikas, Lopez, & Patel, 2008, p. 105) The methods by which these transactions can occur are many; however, they can be broken down into two categories; symmetric key encryption and asymmetric key encryption. Public key encryption uses the asymmetric key approach. We will discuss both methods later.
The advent of e-commerce has created a greater need for public-key encryption schemes to provide security and privacy during online ordering, banking, bill payment, and other sensitive transactions. We hear it in the news all the time about hackers breaking into supposedly