Cryptography

[1] Cryptography is scrambling data so that it can't be read from an attacker/thief, but it can be read by the appropriate user. Basic Cryptography has been used for centuries. One common cryptography is encryption where the original text data is changed into a secret message that the appropriate user can only read. When the appropriate user reads the secret message in its original form, it is called decryption.

Data that is in unencrypted form is cleartext data, while plaintext is data that is to be encrypted.

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Cryptography provides basic information security. It is one step that can be taken to reduce security risks now-a-days. There are many ways to encrypt data. They all involve different algorithms, which contains procedures based on mathematical formulas (some can get really fancy and complex).

Wanna encrypt your files?? I know how in Windows at least. It is very simple. Now, i am bringing desktop snapshots in Windows Vista so the location of these steps may vary in other operating systems...

Choose a file. In this case i made a new Word Document.

Right click on the file to be encrypted, and click on Properties at the bottom of the list.

Then click on the Advanced button next to Attributes: Read-Only and Hidden.

Click on the box for Encrypt Contents to secure data in the new window. Then click the OK button.

Then click on the apply button at the bottom right corner.

After you clicked the Apply button this warning window will pop up and you click on Encrypt only this file. Then click OK and then OK again on the Properties window. Now your file is Encrypted Congrats!!

[1]Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals