Assignment #4 - Ethical Encryption?

1. What is the important difference between public-key cryptography and secret-key cryptography?

Public-key cryptography, which is also known as asymmetric cryptography, is where a user uses both a public key and a private key, in which the former is widely distributed, used publicly and very much related and each known back to certain individual users. While on the other hand, private keys are kept secret.

On the other side, Secret-key cryptography, also known as symmetric cryptography, is where both keys for encryption and decryption are kept secret and unknown to the public.

I believe in the importance of both keys, for encryption and for decryption, to be kept secret and private is very important. Thus, I do believe that this is an edge of secret-key cryptography over public-key cryptography because the integrity and confidentiality of data and information are kept high.

2. What kind of information does ECHELON collect?

ECHELON is a name highly known for intelligence and analysis of world-wide signals and which has been reported to have a large number of sources including some powerful international organizations.

Echelon is known to collect almost all kinds of information from all kinds of communication, be it through satellite, microwave, radio, cellular, fiber-optic, e-mails or the Internet. Data, then, is analyzed and the only information valuable for the organization's objectives are used.

3. Describe atleast three different kinds of uses of encryption that have social value. Indicate why they are valuable.

One, through encryption, privacy is kept and the integrity of one's data and information is also maintained. Accurate and correct information would largely help certain organizations achieve their objectives with earlier time. The advantage makes these institutions reliable and gain more trust from the members of their programs.

Two. Personal details and information is kept secured through encryption. It is very widely known that the use of information and digital signatures is a very effective way tp be used as access to certain documents, be it for personal data, medical records, or information for private institutions. In other words, the use of encryption for security is a very effective method.

Lastly, it enables us to access useful information anywhere while at the same time, feel secured at the security which is made possible by encryption. The use of credit cards information, social security numbers and alot more other useful information, gives us the reliability that only us can use and access because only us holds the decryption key. This would also be the case even we hand-carry these sensitive information on removable storage devices such as floppy disks and flash drives.