Public Key Infrastructure vs. Pretty Good Privacy, Research Paper Example

PKI

Public Key Infrastructure, or simply ‘PKI’, is “A framework for creating a secure method for exchanging information based on public key cryptography” (PC Magazine). This solution helps the users of a basically unsecured network, like Internet, be able to send and receive data and money by means of a pair of a private and public cryptographic code, provided by a securitized agency or organization. The public key organization establishes a data base of certificates, which has an ability to identify an individual or a corporation by means of withdrawing the digital certificates. It is assumed that the public key cryptography is the most commonly used way to authenticate messages and information processed by means of the Internet. The general disadvantages of the method is that if the secret public key is stolen or intercepted by someone outside of the company, all the letters and messages can be easily decrypted and read. Public Key Infrastructure consists of the authorizing body that issues and verifies the digital certificates, a registration authority, which verifies the user before granting the certificate, the certificate database, and the managing system. The advantages of the system include the following key factors: the public and private keys are made concurrently by the authorization party and distributed only to the potential users of the directory; the key is never shared with anyone else, except for the clients of the directory, ability to encrypt outcoming and decrypt incoming messages using your own private key; opportunity to authenticate messages to people for them to make sure the messages is really coming from you.

Advantages: accessibility from anywhere; key intelligibility; low-price

Disadvantages: lack of local support; private and public keys stored in the same place; considerably slow; reliance on someone’s server

PGP

Pretty Good Privacy, abbreviated ‘PGP’, is “Widely used data encryption software that ensures integrity, security, and privacy of data and messages sent over the internet” (Business Dictionary). Basically, it is a specialized security program that helps protect email messages. It can also be used to electronically sign a document, in order for the receiver to be sure that the message was not opened or changed on its way. According to some sources, Pretty Good Privacy is the most commonly used software for this kind of technical operation, due to its free availability in the Internet. The system is based on the private key standard. The software is beneficial for the following reasons: the message is encrypted by the sender using the public key; use of fast algorithm for encrypting certain parts of the message instead of a time-consuming total encryption. The receiver has to use a private key to decrypt a short key and, afterwards, uses this gained key to decrypt the whole message. For the digital signature feature, the program uses a mathematic code, called the ‘hash code’, which creates an algorithm from the users name and is sent together with the sender’s private code.

Advantages: local back up; independence from other servers; personal key management; considerably fast

Disadvantages: requirement for your personal key to decrypt emails; fee for commercial use; general public license configuration

Reference

PC Magazine. (2008). Public Key Infrastructure. Retrieved March 7, 2009, from http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0%2C2542%2Ct%3DPKI&i%3D49333%2C00.asp

Business Dictionary. (2009). Pretty Good Privacy. Retrieved March 7, 2009, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/pretty-good-privacy-PGP.html

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