Cryptography fundamentals for developers
Cryptography fundamentals for developers Data protection matters for apps, services, and users. Understanding a few fundamentals helps you choose safe patterns and avoid common mistakes. This guide uses plain language and practical tips you can apply today. Symmetric vs. asymmetric encryption Symmetric encryption uses one secret key to both encrypt and decrypt data. It is fast and suitable for large data. In practice you use a strong algorithm like AES with a modern mode such as GCM to get both confidentiality and integrity. Asymmetric encryption uses a pair of keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. It helps with key distribution and digital signatures, but it is slower. A typical setup combines both: encrypt data with a symmetric key, then protect that key with an asymmetric public key. ...