Cryptographic Goals and Objectives
Cryptography is designed to achieve specific security goals. These goals ensure that communication and data storage meet the highest security standards:
Confidentiality: Protects information from being disclosed to unauthorized individuals. Achieved primarily through encryption techniques.
Integrity: Ensures that information is not altered or tampered with. Cryptographic hash functions and message authentication codes (MACs) are commonly used for this purpose.
Authentication: Verifies the identity of the parties involved in communication. Digital signatures and certificates are examples of cryptographic tools used for authentication.
Non-repudiation: Ensures that a sender cannot deny having sent a message. Digital signatures play a critical role in achieving non-repudiation.
Access Control: Ensures that only authorized users can access specific data or resources. Cryptographic protocols often integrate with access control mechanisms to enforce restrictions.