Cryptography · WebGlossary.info

The practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adversarial behavior. More generally, cryptography is about constructing and analyzing protocols that prevent third parties or the public from reading private messages. Modern cryptography exists at the intersection of the disciplines of mathematics, computer science, information security, electrical engineering, digital signal processing, physics, and others. Core concepts related to information security (data confidentiality, data integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation) are also central to cryptography. Practical applications of cryptography include electronic commerce, chip-based payment cards, digital currencies, computer passwords, and military communications. The first use of the term “cryptograph” (as opposed to “cryptogram”) dates back to the 19th century, originating from The Gold-Bug, a story by Edgar Allan Poe. ← Wikipedia