Computer Data Security and Encryption Mechanisms Used in Data Communication

A company must secure their sensitive informationgenerated. This will provide much faster processing at
and transactions to protect them from hackers. Thereboth the client and the server. After the session is
are many ways a company can secure its dataterminated, the session key is discarded.
transfers. Few of the data encryption mechanisms areSecure HTTP (S-HTTP)
listed below.S-HTTP uses a different technology than SSL. After
1. Hash codingestablishing the connection, the messages between
2. Public Key Encryption (Asymmetrical Encryption)the client and the server are wrapped in a secure
3. Private Key Encryption (Symmetrical Encryption)envelope. This provides the secrecy, integrity and
Using one or more of the above encryptionauthentication. However, this technology is more
mechanisms, the following technologies are developed.predominately used between web clients and web
1. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)servers.
2. Secure HTTP (S-HTTP)Virtual Private Network (VPN)
3. Virtual Private Networks (VPN)VPNs are widely used in organizations for secure data
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)transfers. They create secure data transfers by
SSL is one of the most popular secure data transferestablishing secure tunnels through a public network (i.e.
mechanisms. First the client establishes a connectionInternet). Organizations choose VPN, essentially
with the server by communicating basic informationbecause of its relatively low cost. ACME Widgets can
about the level of security, digital certificate, publicbuild a VPN between their headquarters and field sales
encryption key etc. Then the client will contact theoffices. A carefully configured VPN can provide a
corresponding Certificate Authority (CA) to check thevery high level of confidentiality, sender authentication
authenticity of the digital certificate and the server.and message integrity. VPNs commonly use Layer-2
After authenticating, a private session key isTunneling Protocol (L2TP) for packet encapsulation.