Information Security .doc (Abstract)

INFORMATION

SECURITY

ABSTRACT:

Over the Internet various communications such as electronic mail or the use of World Wide Web browsers are not secure for sending and receiving information. Information sent by those means may include sensitive personal data which may be intercepted. There is commercial activity going on the Internet and many web sites require the users to fill forms and include sensitive personal information such as telephone numbers, addresses, and credit card information. To be able to do that user would like to have a secure, private communication with the other party. Online users may need private and secure communications for other reasons as well. They may simply not want third parties to browse and read their e-mails or alter their content.

Cryptography defined as "the science and study of secret writing," concerns the ways in which communications and data can be encoded to prevent disclosure of their contents through eavesdropping or message interception, using codes ciphers and other methods, so that only certain people can see the real message. Encryption transforms original information, called plaintext or clear text, into transformed information, called cipher text, code text or simply cipher, which usually has the appearance of random, unintelligible data. Encryption provides confidentiality, integrity and authenticity of the information transferred from A to B. It will be a secret transmission ensuring that its integrity has not been tampered and also it is authentic, that the information was sent by A.

The ability to protect and secure information is vital to the growth of electronic commerce and to the growth of the Internet itself. Many people need or want to use communications and data security in different areas. Banks use encryption methods all around the world to process financial transactions. These involve transfer of huge amount of money from one bank to another. Banks also use encryption methods to protect their customers ID numbers at bank automated teller machines.

"As the economy continues to move away from cash transactions towards "digital cash", both customers and merchants will need the authentication provided by unforgivable digital signatures in order to prevent forgery and transact with confidence.". There are many companies and even shopping malls selling anything from flowers to bottles of wines over the Internet and these transactions are made by the use of credit cards and secure Internet browsers including encryption techniques. The customers over the Internet would like to be secure about sending their credit card information and other financial details related to them over a multi-national environment. It will only work by the use of strong and unforgivable encryption methods.