Cryptographic Protocol

Cryptographic protocols are well defined as highly advanced communication protocols. Such advanced tools are designed to ensure security assurances of various kinds, using cryptographic mechanisms. It provides classic assurance of confidentiality, message integrity and anonymity assurances. It is widely used in the terms of encryption of email messages.

In layman’s terms, a protocol is an instruction set that guides users on how they should act under given circumstances. The protocols usually relate to a security breach. HTTP and HTTPS are both protocols.

Cryptographic protocols are much like any other security protocol and are most widely used to secure the transport of application-level data. Cryptographic protocol will incorporate one or more of the following –

A cryptographic protocol usually incorporates at least some of these techniques:

    - Authentication of entities

    - Agreement and establishments of keys (wherever required)

    - Symmetric encryption of data and authentication of messages.