cryptography

[krip-tog-ruh-fee] /krɪpˈtɒg rə fi/

noun

the science or study of the techniques of secret writing, especially code and cipher systems, methods, and the like.

Compare cryptanalysis (def 2).

the procedures, processes, methods, etc., of making and using secret writing, as codes or ciphers.

anything written in a secret code, cipher, or the like.

Origin

1635-45; crypto- + -graphy

Related forms

cryptographer, cryptographist, noun

cryptographic

[krip-tuh-graf-ik] /ˌkrɪp təˈgræf ɪk/ (Show IPA), cryptographical, cryptographal, adjective

cryptographically, adverb

Examples from the web for cryptography

It is an organization devoted to cryptography as a hobby.
Unfortunately, much of the information online about email encryption and cryptography is unnecessarily detailed and complex.
It's going to be a barnstorming adventure through symmetry groups, equation solving in a ring, and cryptography.
Again, you should not be writing books that involve cryptography.
Of course public key cryptography already offers a good technical foundation for such a system.
cryptography will ineluctably spread over the whole globe, and with it the anonymous transactions systems that it makes possible.
Her research made advances in symbolic computation and algebraic algorithms, including ideas that can be used in cryptography.
That's because they're the building blocks of cryptography.
Space-based quantum cryptography could allow perfect privacy for all satellite communications, even television broadcasts.
cryptography, the science of codes, can overcome these problems and make true digital money a reality.

British Dictionary definitions for cryptography

cryptography

/krɪpˈtɒɡrəfɪ/

noun

the science or study of analysing and deciphering codes, ciphers, etc; cryptanalysis

Derived Forms

cryptographer, cryptographist, cryptologist, noun
cryptographic (ˌkrɪptəˈɡræfɪk), cryptographical, adjective
cryptographically, adverb

Word Origin and History for cryptography

1650s, from French cryptographie or directly from Modern Latin cryptographia, from Greek kryptos "hidden" (see crypt) + -graphy. Related: Cryptograph; cryptographer.

cryptography in Culture

cryptography definition

The science of coding and decoding messages so as to keep these messages secure. Coding (see encryption) takes place using a key that ideally is known only by the sender and intended recipient of the message.

Note: Historically used in warfare, cryptography is now used routinely in computer networks. This often pits the desire of individuals and businesses to keep Internet information private against the need of government to investigate crime and terrorism.

cryptography in Technology

cryptography
The practise and study of encryption and decryption - encoding data so that it can only be decoded by specific individuals. A system for encrypting and decrypting data is a cryptosystem. These usually involve an algorithm for combining the original data ("plaintext") with one or more "keys" - numbers or strings of characters known only to the sender and/or recipient. The resulting output is known as "ciphertext".
The security of a cryptosystem usually depends on the secrecy of (some of) the keys rather than with the supposed secrecy of the algorithm. A strong cryptosystem has a large range of possible keys so that it is not possible to just try all possible keys (a "brute force" approach). A strong cryptosystem will produce ciphertext which appears random to all standard statistical tests. A strong cryptosystem will resist all known previous methods for breaking codes ("cryptanalysis").
See also cryptology, public-key encryption, RSA.
Usenet newsgroups: news:sci.crypt, news:sci.crypt.research.
FAQ MIT (ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/cryptography-faq/).
Cryptography glossary (https://io.com/~ritter/GLOSSARY.HTM#BruteForceAttack).
RSA cryptography glossary (https://rsasecurity.com/rsalabs/faq/glossary.html).
Cryptography, PGP, and Your Privacy (https://draco.centerline.com:8080/~franl/crypto.html).
(2000-01-16)