ABC Institute of Research: Case Study

ABC Institute of Research has sensitive information that needs to be protected from its rivals. The Institute has collaborated with XYZ Inc. to research genetics. The information must be kept top secret at any cost. At ABC Institute, the researchers are unsure about the type of key (asymmetric or symmetric) to use. Please formulate a possible solution, and describe the advantages and disadvantages of any solution employed. The best type of key to use in this situation would be public-key cryptography, also known as asymmetric cryptography. It is a type of cryptographic algorithm that requires two separate keys. One of those keys is private, and kept secret. The other is public and distributed to those who need it. The keys are both needed since they are part of a mathematical algorithm, and one will not work without the other. This can be important in two ways. First it can be used to encrypt plain text information like files and emails. Second, it can be used to verify the identity of the person you are communicating with. ABC institute will want to email back and forth with XYZ Inc. They can manage this with using asymmetric keys. The sender will simply type the desired message and then use the public key of the person they wish to send the message for encrypting and therefore securing the message to be sent over the very public internet. Having done this the only person who could possibly open and read this email would be the desired recipient. This is insured because since their public key was used to encrypt, the only way to decrypt the message into a readable email is by using the recipient’s private key which only they have access to. At the same time the asymmetric system can be used to verify the parties involved. If I am sending a message to you, and you want to be sure that it is me and not an attacker trying to cause harm, all I need to do is sign the message with my private key. Since I am the only person in the world that has my