Shared Secret, Secret-Key - Encryption Secrets
A shared secret, mutual and collective, undisclosed to others, confidential and private, restricted ‘pass’ key for shared access, security and encryption use, or a cryptology functionality in the .NET Frameworks environment.
When an encryption key is used with symmetric encryption, it is also known as a shared secret. Encrypting and decrypting data uses shared secret(s), to get it established, accessed, shared, transmitted, deciphers and used successfully and effectively, to ‘unlock’ and protect it. Also called a symmetric encryption key, (see elsewhere).
If/when two parties have agreed on a ‘key’ to share and unlock data, access, files, information etc. peers can then share information, transfer freely. It is now a shared secret to be utilized in this environment. Encryption cryptography used for numbers of messages ‘traded’ and shared with this common ‘translating’, master-key of sorts. It goes beyond mere symmetric encryption and adds thus a level of confidence and security to it. Spontaneous network communications for web-sessions.
Ensure you know how to establish a symmetric key, for both encryption and decryption, using the same key. It can be specific or random. Sender and recipient ‘share’ them with one another, agree on it and use it. These keys can and need to be changed regularly, in order to maintain the top level of security. User-provided passwords can also be used, or turned into keys. It is the go-between for encryptor/decryptor. It contains (password, salt value, IV or initiator vector, and the number of iterations to generate a key OR default). Be familiar with the creation and retrieval, re-setting of these, for optimal use.
Key Exam Points
- Use Shared Secret, Secret-key, symmetrical encryption, AES and other security measures for users, access, data, applications security, protection and integrity, with minimal to no vulnerabilities.
- For the exam, study examples for shared secret or secret keys, that help you to gain a better understanding of how this works and can be used.
- Do the practice test.
Related Terms
ACL, AES, Asymmetric Encryption, Symmetric Encryption, Authentication, Authorization, Cipher, DES, TDES, Signatures, PKI, RBS and others.
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