3 - 3: Asymmetric Cryptography

Question 1

Asymmetric cryptography

Answer 1

Each user has a pair of keys: one public, one private. Key pairs are created by picking two large prime numbers

Question 2

RSA

Answer 2

Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Len Adelmen, who created the RSA asymmetric key system in use since 1977.

Question 3

RSA key use

Answer 3

1) Sender encrypts with recipient’s public key 2) Recipient decrypts with their own private key

Question 4

RSA key facts

Answer 4

Asymmetric encryption algorithm, slow for long messages, good for initial exchanges leading to symmetric key communication, keeps authentication as long as private key is private, variable key length between 1,024 and 4,096 bits, still considered secure w/in that range

Question 5

PGP

Answer 5

Pretty good privacy, open source algorithm, uses both asymmetric and symmetric cryptography,

Question 6

Sending with PGP

Answer 6

1) Sender generates random key for original plaintext, 2) encrypts with random key, 3) then encrypts random key with recipient’s public key

Question 7

Receiving with PGP

Answer 7

1) Recipient decrypts with their private key which produces the random key, 2) use the decrypted random key to decrypt the message

Question 8

Elliptic curve cryptography

Answer 8

Cryptography which does not rely on prime factorization

Question 9

Quantum Computing

Answer 9

Computing, and therefore cryptography, that uses quantum computing capability

Question 10

Tor Protocol

Answer 10

The Onion Router, which uses nodes and relay networks to encrypt traffic, facilitates 1) private and anonymous internet access and 2) access to the dark web

Question 11

Perfect Forward Secrecy

Answer 11

TOR’s mechanic where communications are encrypted to allow only the nodes immediately before and after it access to the message