With Viruses, Hacking, and whatnot, today we are in need of some really good securing for Online activities, Whether they are personal or business-related. And that’s where the use of Encryption and Cryptography come in handy. These both are processes that help in making an unsecured message into a secured one. Though people get confused between the two, even often using the two in place of each other, Encryption is a process in Cryptography.
Encryption vs Cryptography
The main difference between the two terms is that Cryptography is a much larger concept than Encryption. Encryption is just a process that runs throughout the procedure of Cryptography. A step that is used to make our particular plain text into a cypher that protects the data from being hijacked from unidentified and untrusted sources that can use this sensitive information for bad purposes.
Encryption starts the process of converting plain text into a tough one so that it shouldn’t be easy to crack. Nowadays, it is mainly used on various sites online to save the passwords of the users. The process is completed by another process, ‘ decryption,’ once a person wants to read the plain text. Encryption is a part of Cryptography. Hence it is smaller in terms of topic.
Cryptography is a way of securing an unsecured message, text, anything from ways for it to be hacked. It was started back in 400 BC, and now with the rise of modernization as ever, it is even more in use. There are many forms of Cryptography of various computer bits that make a text into a ‘cypher’. Once the message gets to the place of the receiver, they have a ‘key’ and use it to convert back the message into the original one, so the receiver could now go through it.
Conclusion Table Between Encryption and Cryptography
| Parameters of Comparison | Encryption | Cryptography |
| Definition | It is the process of converting plain text into a cypher, which can’t be figured out without a key. | Cryptography means securing a message using the encryption and decryption method. |
| Size | Encryption is a smaller term that comes under Cryptography. | Cryptography comprises the term Encryption in it as it’s a part of the Cryptography process. |
| Types | Symmetric and Asymmetric | DEA, AES, RSA, and many more. |
| Name came from | Greek | Egypt |
| Discover by | Giovanni Battista Bellaso | Julius Caesar |
| Synonyms | Encoding | Network security/ Cybersecurity |
What is Encryption?
The word came from the Greek language verb-“Kryptein”, which in turn means “Kryptos”, translating to ‘hiding away”. Encryption is a step in the process of Cryptography that means converting a plain message into a difficult one that can’t be read. It is done to safeguard the message from various possible hacking sites, devices, and even people.
There are some terms that cover the topic of Encryption. These are Keys, Algorithm, Cipher.
Keys are a type of sheet that has the codes to close and open the message. Just like a normal lock, Close when one is encrypting a message and open when one is decoding the message.
An algorithm is a process of changing that plain text into a complicated one.
The cypher is the massage that is converted in the process of Encryption and now isn’t useful for hacking as it is not the same message and wouldn’t make sense to the third party.
There are two types of Encryptions:
Symmetric Encryption: A Symmetric Encryption uses the same key that is used for encrypting a message and
Decrypting. Both the parties, receiver, and sender should have a key that is a way to express the decrypting the cypher back into a simple message.
Asymmetric Encryption: Asymmetric Encryption has two different sets of keys. A different one that is
used by the sender and the other different one that is used by the receiver. Public key Cryptography is
also a term that is used for Asymmetric Encryption.
What is Cryptography?
Cryptography is a vast topic that contains the process of Encryption method. Though now, it is used mainly throughout electronic devices, securing them.
The idea of thinking of about was first thought by the king of Rome – Julius Cipher/Ceasor Cipher, who used it to send messages through his messenger to other kings in a kind of algorithm that only the receiver of the message could decode; so that if something was to happen to the messenger or an attack took place, the message couldn’t be read or be destroyed.
Just as Encryption has its two types, Cryptography has its own types as well: DES, AES, and RSA. These are the ways that help in the process of creating the plain text into a safe uncrackable one. There are many types of Cryptography now, and DEA or DEA 3 is not even used as it has a great chance to be hacked.
These are the steps in the process of Cryptography:
- Changing the message into a difficult one so that it is safe. That is the part of Encryption. The changed message is called a cypher.
- The cypher travels, and when it reaches the receiver, then the process of decryption starts.
- Once decrypting is done, the receiver finally gets the message that is sent by the sender.
Main Differences Between Encryption and Cryptography
- The main difference between the two terminologies is of Cryptography being a bigger process, of which Encryption is just a part.
- There are two types of Encryption: Symmetric and Asymmetric but there are many types of Cryptography now adding every now and then to make our online activities as secure as they can be.
- Cryptography is a much older process, some 4000 years ago, and the process of Encryption came way after it.
- Encryption is more about the mathematical process, and Cryptography, on the other hand, is a field that can be studied.
- Cryptography takes a longer time to be done as opposed to Encryption since Cryptography has two processes to follow: Encryption and Decryption.
Conclusion
In today’s world, many sites and apps use various security tools and systems that make our end-to-end message safer from being hacked way. From being used in the Military to securing their messages from unfaithful sources to now, setting passwords for various sites, this process sure fulfils its need.
The two terms go hand in hand. Though Cryptography is a bigger term, it wouldn’t be complete without the method of Encryption in it. Like making a cake without flour.
References
- https://books.google.co.in/books?id=BuQlBQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Encryption+and+cryptography&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiHt5as4f3vAhXCSH0KHa53CogQ6AEwAHoECAEQAw
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6182134/