Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Chapter 4: Asymmetric Key Cryptography
Chapter 4: Asymmetric Key Cryptography
Overview
The
problem posed with symmetric key ciphers, MACs, and HMACs is how to get
the secret key to the recipient so that the recipient can decrypt the
ciphertext when it is received. Asymmetric key cryptography is one
answer. It is called asymmetric key cryptography because the keys used
for performing encryption and decryption are different and are normally
referred to as public and private keys.
This chapter introduces the concepts of asymmetric key
cryptography, including how to use public and private keys for
exchanging secret keys and creating digital signatures. Asymmetric
algorithms come in a variety of shapes, and you will look at what
parameters are required for key creation and what padding mechanisms
are appropriate when messages are being encrypted. Unlike symmetric
algorithms, asymmetric algorithms are not appropriate for bulk
encryption, and you will see how asymmetric and symmetric cryptography
is combined to achieve this.
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to
Use and understand the most popular algorithms in use to date
Understand the methods for performing key exchange and key agreement, as well as some of the pros and cons of using them
Understand how to use padding mechanisms with asymmetric keys
Create and verify digital signatures
Finally, you will also have a good knowledge of
the various Java APIs that are in place for supporting the generation,
manipulation, and use of asymmetric keys and ciphers.
electronic signature software
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