What encryption methods are commonly used in app security?
Symmetric Key Encryption
- Uses a single key for both encryption and decryption of data.
- Commonly applied for securing stored data within applications.
- Offers high-speed performance for large data sets.
- Requires secure key management to prevent unauthorized access.
- Suitable for internal system communication and local file protection.
Asymmetric Key Encryption
- Uses a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.
- Facilitates secure communication between different systems or users.
- Eliminates the need to share secret keys over untrusted networks.
- Supports digital signatures for message integrity and authentication.
- Often used in secure email, identity verification, and session key exchange.
Hashing Techniques
- Converts data into a fixed-size string that cannot be reversed.
- Used to store passwords securely in application databases.
- Ensures data integrity by detecting changes in transmitted information.
- Commonly used in token validation and file integrity checks.
- Salted hashing adds random values to prevent pattern-based attacks.
Transport Layer Encryption
- Secures data during transmission between client and server.
- Prevents interception of credentials and sensitive content over networks.
- Involves protocols that establish a secure handshake before communication.
- Applied in securing web APIs, mobile apps, and browser-based sessions.
- Certificates and encryption keys are used to establish trust.
Database and File-Level Encryption
- Protects application data stored in relational and non-relational databases.
- Encrypts entire data files, individual fields, or columns as required.
- Ensures that unauthorized users cannot read content at rest.
- Managed through built-in or external encryption tools integrated with databases.
- Decryption occurs at the application level for authorized queries.
