Internet Security: Understanding Encoding & Decoding Data

[chaoseverlasting]

This may not be the best place to ask something like this, but I want to know how website security systems work. I don't have any malicious intent. Its just that cryptography interests me. How does encoding/decoding data over the net work?

 

[Anttech]

I think you mean SSL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Sockets_Layer

Most IP encryption techniques have at their heart asymmetrical key encryption. IPsec uses symmetrical keys to encrypt the packet payload, however the key exchange uses asymmetrical encryption, via the Diffie-Hellman technique.

As for malicious intent, all encryption techniques are open standards, and can be read up on via the IETF website . They are tested continuously, and as the protocols are cracked, they are updated. A good example of this is MD5 which was broken, and SHA-1 came about.