Page 363 - (ISC)² CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Official Study Guide

information from unauthorized visibility and use.

Over the years, mathematicians and computer scientists have
developed a series of increasingly complex cryptographic algorithms

designed to increase the level of protection provided to data. While
cryptographers spent time developing strong encryption algorithms,
hackers and governments alike devoted significant resources to
undermining them. This led to an “arms race” in cryptography and
resulted in the development of the extremely sophisticated algorithms

in use today.
This chapter looks at the history of cryptography, the basics of

cryptographic communications, and the fundamental principles of
private key cryptosystems. The next chapter continues the discussion
of cryptography by examining public key cryptosystems and the
various techniques attackers use to defeat cryptography.