An Introduction to Cryptographic Security Methods and Their Role in Securing Low Resource Computing Devices

Contributed by Joanne C. Kelleher

What is the difference between private key and public key cryptography?
What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric cryptography?
What is the difference between Diffie-Hellman (Elliptic Curve) and RSA asymmetric cryptography methods?

Since SecureRF’s Algebraic Eraser technology offers a combination of symmetric (i.e. private key or secret key) and asymmetric (i.e. public key) cryptography of the Diffie-Hellman type, we found ourselves having to explain these questions a lot. We couldn’t find a good overview describing these various cryptographic methods and decided to write one ourselves.

We invite you to read our new white paper:

An Introduction to Cryptographic Security Methods and Their Role in Securing Low Resource Computing Devices: An Overview of Public-key Cryptosystems based on RSA, Diffie-Hellman and the Next Generation of Public-key Cryptographic Security for Low-Resource Computing Devices – the Algebraic Eraser

This was written as an introduction to the topic for business people, engineers and logistics folks. Download it now (no registration required) at SecureRF’s SecureRF’s White Paper Publications page.

Please let us know if we didn’t answer your cryptography questions or have any feedback about this paper.

If you want more technical information about how SecureRF’s methods work, you can read Key agreement, the Algebraic Eraser and Lightweight Cryptography which was published by the American Mathematical Society in the peer-reviewed book Algebraic Methods in Cryptography. A version of this paper is also available on SecureRF’s White Paper Publications page.