Название: ManusCrypt: Designed for Mankind – Anthropocentric Information Security
Автор: Prashant A Upadhyaya
Издательство: CRC Press
Год: 2025
Страниц: 211
Язык: английский
Формат: pdf (true), epub
Размер: 17.2 MB

Information security primarily serves these six distinct purposes—authentication, authorization, prevention of data theft, sensitive data safety / privacy, data protection / integrity, non-repudiation. The entire gamut of infosec rests upon cryptography. The author begins as a protagonist to explain that modern cryptography is more suited for machines rather than humans. This is explained through a brief history of ciphers and their evolution into cryptography and its various forms. The premise is further reinforced by a critical assessment of algorithm-based modern cryptography in the age of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain. With simple and lucid examples, the author demonstrates that the hypothetical “man versus machine” scenario is not by chance, but by design. The book doesn’t end here like most others that wind up with a sermon on ethics and eventual merging of humans with technology (i.e., singularity). A very much practicable solution has been presented with a real-world use-case scenario, wherein infosec is designed around the needs, biases, flaws and skills of humans. This innovative approach, as trivial as it may seem to some, has the power to bring about a paradigm shift in the overall strategy of information technology that can change our world for the better.

The landscape of cryptography is continuously evolving, driven by advances in technology and the increasing sophistication of cyber threats. As cryptographic algorithms become more robust, adversaries, too, strive to exploit vulnerabilities. The data encryption standard (DES), developed in the 1970s, was the first widely used encryption standard. However, as computing power increased, DES’s 56-bit key length became susceptible to brute-force attacks. This led to the development of the advanced encryption standard (AES) in the early 2000s, with key lengths of 128, 192, or 256 bits, providing significantly higher security.

The need for continuous advancements in encryption standards is evident in the face of emerging technologies like quantum computing. Quantum computers, with their exponentially higher processing capabilities, pose a potential threat to classical cryptographic systems. As a result, researchers are exploring quantum-resistant algorithms that can withstand attacks from quantum adversaries.

In the Chapter 1, we have explored the evolutionary path of modern cryptography, from the rudimentary ciphers of antiquity to the sophisticated algorithms of today. But as we embrace the transformative power of encryption, we must also be mindful of its consequences on humanity. In the following chapters, we shall delve deeper into the impact of cryptography on our society, exploring the human experience amidst a world governed by algorithms. The evolution of modern cryptography showcases the transformative power of human innovation. From ancient ciphers to the RSA algorithm, cryptography has evolved to meet the ever-increasing demands for secure communication in the digital age.

The book contains technical concepts at a high level with a simple and lucid presentation so that it is suited for both the layman as well as practitioners of information technology.