Cryptography protects information by encoding it. This topic covers how ciphers work and how to stay safe online.
Cryptography protects information by encoding it. Plaintext is the original readable message and ciphertext is the encoded form.
Encryption turns plaintext into ciphertext and decryption reverses it. A key is the value that controls the process. HTTPS protects web traffic by encrypting it.
Phishing uses deceptive messages to steal information, ransomware locks files and demands payment, and a brute-force attack tries many possible keys until one works.
A long, unique password is the single most useful protection for an account. Reusing a short password across sites means one breach exposes them all, and a password should never be stored as plain readable text.
Content, contact or conduct online that is inappropriate should be reported, to the platform and to a trusted adult. Replying or passing it on spreads it further.
Encryption relies on operations that can be reversed exactly. A larger set of possible keys means more must be tried before one works, so a longer key is harder to break.
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