Cryptography

/koʊdˈbreɪkɪŋ/

noun — "the process of deciphering or decoding encrypted information without prior knowledge of the key."

/ˌkrɪptəˈnæləsɪs/

noun — "the study and practice of analyzing and breaking cryptographic systems."

Cryptanalysis is the discipline concerned with examining cryptographic algorithms, ciphers, and encoded messages to uncover hidden information without access to the secret key. It combines mathematics, logic, computer science, and pattern recognition to discover weaknesses, reconstruct plaintext, or recover keys. Cryptanalysis is essential both for testing the security of encryption systems and for legitimate intelligence or historical codebreaking efforts.

/bɒm/

noun — "an electromechanical device designed to help decrypt Enigma-encrypted messages."

Bombe was an electromechanical machine developed during World War II to expedite the decryption of messages encoded by the German Enigma cipher. Designed to test multiple possible Enigma rotor and plugboard settings systematically, the Bombe reduced the vast number of potential key combinations to manageable levels, enabling Allied cryptanalysts to read enemy communications in near real-time.

/ˌɛs.maɪm/

noun — "locking email so only the intended reader can open it."

S/MIME, short for Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, is a standard for securing email messages using encryption and digital signatures. It provides confidentiality, message integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation for email communications by relying on public key cryptography.

/ˈdɪdʒ.ɪ.təl ˈsɪɡ.nə.tʃər/

noun — "a cryptographic stamp that proves data authenticity."

/ɛm æk/

n. “Trust the message — not the path it traveled.”

MAC, short for Message Authentication Code, is a cryptographic construct designed to answer a deceptively simple question: has this message been altered, and did it come from someone who knows the secret? A MAC provides integrity and authenticity, but not secrecy. The contents of the message may be visible — what matters is that any tampering is detectable.

/ˈiː-ɛe-dɛd/

n. “Encrypt it — and prove nobody touched it.”

AEAD, short for Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data, is a class of cryptographic constructions designed to solve two problems at the same time: confidentiality and integrity. It ensures that data is kept secret and that any unauthorized modification of that data is reliably detected.

/ˌɛn-ɛs-ˈeɪ/

n. “The United States’ quiet architect of cryptography.”

NSA, the National Security Agency, is the United States government’s premier organization for signals intelligence (SIGINT), information assurance, and cryptographic research. Established in 1952, the agency’s primary mission is to collect, analyze, and protect information critical to national security, often operating behind the scenes and away from public scrutiny.