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Questions tagged [encryption]

Encryption is the process of transforming plaintext using a cipher to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing the key.

510 votes
8 answers
513k views

RSA vs. DSA for SSH authentication keys

When generating SSH authentication keys on a Unix/Linux system with ssh-keygen, you're given the choice of creating a RSA or DSA key pair (using -t type). What is the difference between RSA and DSA ...
jrdioko's user avatar
  • 13.2k
420 votes
14 answers
69k views

How is it possible that people observing an HTTPS connection being established wouldn't know how to decrypt it?

I've often heard it said that if you're logging in to a website - a bank, GMail, whatever - via HTTPS, that the information you transmit is safe from snooping by 3rd parties. I've always been a little ...
Joshua Carmody's user avatar
285 votes
3 answers
170k views

What are ssh-keygen best practices?

Most users would simply type ssh-keygen and accept what they're given by default. But what are the best practices for generating ssh keys with ssh-keygen? For example: Use -o for the OpenSSH key ...
Tom Hale's user avatar
  • 3,055
260 votes
12 answers
142k views

Why are hash functions one way? If I know the algorithm, why can't I calculate the input from it?

Why can't a password hash be reverse engineered? I've looked into this ages ago and have read lots on it, but I can't find the explanation of why it can't be done. An example will make it easier to ...
Mucker's user avatar
  • 2,717
243 votes
6 answers
289k views

Is Telegram secure?

There is a new WhatsApp-killer application called Telegram. They said that it's open source and that it has a more secure encryption. But they store all the messages in their servers and WhatsApp ...
ilazgo's user avatar
  • 2,773
243 votes
5 answers
155k views

What is the difference between https://google.com and https://encrypted.google.com?

Is it there any difference between the encrypted Google search (at https://encrypted.google.com) and the ordinary HTTPS Google search (at https://google.com)? In terms of security what were the ...
BlueBerry - Vignesh4303's user avatar
234 votes
8 answers
211k views

What is the difference between SSL vs SSH? Which is more secure?

What is the difference between SSH and SSL? Which one is more secure, if you can compare them together? Which has more potential vulnerabilities?
Am1rr3zA's user avatar
  • 3,093
210 votes
10 answers
31k views

What should you do if you catch encryption ransomware mid-operation?

You boot up your computer one day and while using it you notice that your drive is unusually busy. You check the System Monitor and notice that an unknown process is using the CPU and both reading and ...
Fiksdal's user avatar
  • 3,117
203 votes
7 answers
35k views

How do mobile carriers know video resolution over HTTPS connections?

Verizon is modifying their "unlimited" data plans. Customers in the USA can stream video at 480p -or- pay to unlock higher resolutions (both 720p and +1080p). They are not the only mobile carrier to ...
raithyn's user avatar
  • 1,843
193 votes
6 answers
187k views

ECDSA vs ECDH vs Ed25519 vs Curve25519

Among the Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) algorithms available in OpenSSH (ECDH, ECDSA, Ed25519, Curve25519), which offers the best level of security, and (ideally) why?
Omar's user avatar
  • 2,033
184 votes
9 answers
702k views

How to determine what type of encoding/encryption has been used?

Is there a way to find what type of encryption/encoding is being used? For example, I am testing a web application which stores the password in the database in an encrypted format (WeJcFMQ/8+8QJ/w0hHh+...
Karthik's user avatar
  • 2,324
179 votes
8 answers
40k views

Why can't the FBI read the key embedded in the iPhone's secure chip/ROM directly from hardware (silicon)?

As far as I understand, the 4 digit passcode is combined (in some fashion) with a key stored in secure read only memory (e.g. secure enclave chip or similar), where it is directly embedded into ...
user9806's user avatar
  • 1,689
174 votes
4 answers
154k views

Where to store a server side encryption key?

I have some data that is symmetrically encrypted with a single key in my database. Rather than hard coding it into my code, I am looking for a safer way to store the encryption key. Where can I safely ...
Radek's user avatar
  • 1,843
167 votes
6 answers
22k views

Apple's open letter - they can't or won't backdoor iOS?

Apple released an open letter to the public outlining their reasons for not complying with the FBI's demands to modify the iPhone's security mechanism. Here's a summary: The FBI has an iPhone in ...
TTT's user avatar
  • 9,222
162 votes
6 answers
263k views

Why most people use 256 bit encryption instead of 128 bit?

Isn't 128 bit security enough for most practical applications?
H M's user avatar
  • 2,987

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