History of Encryption

The use of simple codes to protect information can be traced back to the fifth century BC. As time has progressed, the methods by which information is protected have become more complex and more secure.

Encryption can be used to provide high levels of security to network communication, e-mail, files stored on hard drives or floppy disks, and other information that requires protection.

The goal of this write-up is to present the reader with an introduction to the basics of encryption, its role in the small office/home office environment and the benefits and drawbacks of encryption to the non-professional user who is concerned about information security.