The National Security Agency and Cryptography Term Paper

The National Security Agency and Cryptography - Term Paper Example In the past, cryptography was primarily used for military and government intelligence, which is still very important to date. However, advancement in electronic communication systems especially the internet has fueled the use of cryptography in sending private messages and information such as medical records, banking data and credit card numbers among others via electronic channels. Cryptography ensures rapid, secure and confidential electronic communication between two or more people (Nsa.gov, 2). Garfinkel points out that mathematical cryptography involves the use of mathematical processes for sending secret information. It uses the method of encryption, which only the recipient can comprehend. Through this method, a plaintext message is converted into ciphertext, which is sent to the other party. The receiver of the message converts the ciphertext back to plaintext using decryption. The channels through which the messages are sent may be open or accessible to outside parties who i ntercept messages but these people cannot understand or interfere with the information. A Cryptographic system is a process, method or system that provides security in terms of integrity, non-reputation, authentication, access control and confidentiality. The system provides encryption and decryption, which may be software, hardware or even a manually performed process. A cryptographic system ensures confidentiality of information by preventing its disclosure to unauthorized persons either in a local network or across a network. Therefore, for a cryptographic system to be effective in preventing unauthorized decryption of messages, it should be strong, making it hard to crack and to break the system. However, a system is considered weak if it is easily decrypted, has defects in its designs or if it allows weak keys (Dulaney 326). The cryptographic system should also provide an assurance that the recipient receives the original message from the sender. It should not allow any kind of modification on the message during transmission because if this happens, the message is altered and it becomes unintelligible and inaccurate, which may have serious consequences on the recipient. For instance, if such alterations happened in medical records that involved drug prescriptions, the patient under medication may be in danger. Therefore, a cryptographic system should ensure integrity in its process by having mechanisms that will indicate that the message was altered or corrupted, hence allowing proper precautions (Dulaney 327). There are four fundamental principles behind cryptography. The first principle implies the use of a plaintext, which is the message that the sender wishes to encrypt. After the encryption, the message becomes a ciphertext, which is the second principle. The third principle involves a mathematical function known as encryption algorithm that encrypts the message and the fourth principle implies the type of key or keys used in cryptography. The key(s) can be a phrase, a number or a word that is used by the mathematical function for encryption. The main goal of cryptography is to ensure that the original plaintext cannot be reproduced from the ciphertext without using the corresponding key(s) (Garfinkel, 33). Cryptography requires both the sender and the receiver to have the knowledge of the procedures involved in encryption and de

Speech class assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Speech class assignment - Essay Example It delves deeper and in specific; this is as opposed to the general purpose of a given speech. Sproule (574) states that it enlivens the general purpose of the speech, where it covers aspects such as what the audience is being enlightened on. This situation is so, especially if the general theme of the speech aligns with informing the audience. It may also cover what the audience is being persuaded to do in the case the general purpose of the speech lies under the theme of persuasion. In listening to this speech, there are a numerous of points and emphases noted. Among them are the emphases of the fact that Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was riding only two cars behind his boss when President J. F. Kennedy was shot. There is another emphasis, which states that barely 24 hours had passed before V.P Johnson ascended to the Presidency of the Unites States of America. The phrase ‘ladies and gentlemen’ are said in an emphasizing manner, where the lecturer introduces the issues to do with the ratification of the 25th amendment that deals with the succession of a president. Finally, there is an emphasis on the point that article 25 of the Constitution was vague thereby giving room to misinterpretations and confusions. Listening to speech four without the visual element, it is almost impossible to note the areas being emphasized by the speaker. The tone is flat without any poses and variations. As such, the speaker appears to be speaking on one subject. The tonal variation, which should come with the comparison of various aspects of the speech, remains lacking. The emphasis that should be placed on the various types of artwork, specifically the impressionistic versus the 18th-century artwork. On the mention of the example of an impressionistic painting, the speaker does not change his tone. The mention of the painter is also done in a flat tone. Finally, the changes in subjects are also done without much consideration of the tonal