International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Volume 2 Issue 12, December 2013 www.ijsr.net A Study: Cryptology Techniques and Methodologies Cutifa Safitri 1 , Haroon Shoukat Ali 2 , Jamaludin Bin Ibrahim 3 Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology, International Islamic University Malaysia Gombak, Malaysia Abstract: Cryptography, as the most important aspect in the never ending evolving information technology era, is being criticized in its aspect. Information outbreaks make users doubtful on relying on their own information in current cryptosystems. This paper attempts to define the existing cryptology techniques and measures how strong and ‘bullet proof’ they are. In this paper, a basic encryption, byte to byte and complex encryption is shown as a study of cryptosystem classes that were used to overcome the need from various users. By understanding the current world phenomenon, it would be easier to answer the question of how secure cryptology actually is. Keywords: Information Security, Cryptosystems, Network Security, Cryptoanalysis, Cryptography. 1. Introduction To understand the term cryptology we have to go back to 1935, where the term cryptology is first heard of. Cryptology, the practice and study of techniques for secure communication, concerned with the message / plain text confidentiality, integrity, non repudiation and authentication [1]. When dealing with cryptography techniques, always keep in mind that it will be broken. The idea is to find a way to go down with grace. Is cryptology broken? It is not the right question. The question is, how long is cryptology secured until it becomes broken? This paper attempts to define the existing cryptology techniques and measure how strong and ‘bullet proof’ they are. Later in this paper, a basic, byte to byte and complex encryption is shown as a study of encryption classes. There are two types of encryption type, symmetric and asymmetric. The asymmetric cryptography technique, such as RSA, that relies in prime factorization is hard to be tempered. It is claimed that even if some of the utility numbers are compromised, the encryption is still intact. But, there is also an algorithm that gives disclosure to decryption key that attempt to compromise the ciphertext, such as Las Vegas algorithm that provide a quicker factorization to break RSA [2]. In cryptology, key size or key length, is the size in bits of the key used in a cryptographic algorithm. An algorithm’s key length is distinct from its cryptographic security. The security of an algorithm cannot exceed its key length, but it can be smaller. Keys are used to control the operation of a cipher so that only the correct key can convert the encrypted text or ciphertext to plaintext. A key should therefore be large enough so that an attack on it can take a long time to decrypt. Nowadays, we extent the number of encryption key digits, naively thinking, that raising key digits takes longer time and more power for attackers to decrypt it. Yes there is a super- speed and powerful computer machine that can take care of heavy encryption-decryption algorithm. But again, people are not willing to spent costs higher than the value of the message / the plain text itself. Each encryption system has different cryptographic complexity. The actual degree of security achieved overtime varies, as more computer machinery power and more powerful mathematical methods become available. Hence, cryptologists tends to look at algorithms and key length as indicator signs of potential vulnerability and move to longer key size and more difficult algorithm. 2. Literature Review Symmetric encryption is the older and more simpler method of encrypting information. The basis of symmetric encryption is that both the sender and the receiver of the message have previously obtained the same key. Below we describe a few symmetric key encryption techniques. DES (Data Encryption Standard) was developed in 1973 by the National Bureau of Standard (NBS). DES is what is known as a block cipher, segmenting the input data into blocks of a specified size, typically padding the last block, making it multiple of the block size required. There have been multiple successful attacks against DES algorithms that use fewer rounds. Any DES with fewer than 16 rounds could be analyzed more efficiently with chosen plaintext that, via a brute-force attack uses differential cryptanalysis. With 16 rounds and not using a weak key, DES is reasonably secure, and amazingly has been for over 20 years[3]. 3DES (Triple DES) is a variant of DES. Depending on the specific variant, it uses either two or three keys instead of the single key that DES uses. it also spins through the DES algorithm three times via multiple encryption. The only weaknesses of 3DES are the ones that already exist in DES, and due to the use of different keys in the same algorithm, resulting in a longer key length by adding the first keyspace to the second keyspace, and hence greater resistance to brute force. 3DES has less actual weakness. 3DES is a good interim step before the new encryption standard AES is fully implemented to replace DES[3]. AES (Advance Encryption Standard), called for a block cipher using symmetric key cryptography and supporting key sizes of 128, 192, and 256 bits. This new algorithm is well thought-out and has suitable key lengths to provide security Paper ID: 02013653 352