PC Magazine: Crypto Wars: Why the Fight to Encrypt Rages On

We talked to several experts in the field to help us understand the many facets of encryption.

By Max Eddy
October 10, 2016

When you think of encryption, what likely springs to mind are movies and TV shows filled with hacking and mysterious messages. You might also think of the battle between Apple and the FBI over the latter demanding access to encrypted information on a San Bernardino shooter's iPhone. But it's simpler: Encryption is the technique by which the understandable is rendered unintelligible -- to anyone not holding the key, that is. Spies use encryption to send secrets, generals use it to coordinate battles, and criminals use it to carry out nefarious activities.

Encryption systems are also at work in nearly every facet of modern technology, not just to hide information from criminals, enemies, and spies but also to verify and clarify basic, personal information. The story of encryption spans centuries, and it's as complicated as the math that makes it work. And new advances and shifting attitudes could alter encryption completely.

We talked to several experts in the field to help us understand the many facets of encryption: its history, current state, and what it may become down the road. Here's what they had to say.

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