The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. In our increasingly digital lives, security depends on cryptography. Send a private message or pay a bill online, and you’re relying on ...

Cryptography secures digital data using algorithms, essential in private secure communications. Cryptos use cryptographic methods like asymmetric encryption and hash functions for transactions.

Before we move into the meat of this article, let’s define a couple terms related to cryptography. The syllable crypt may make you think of tombs, but it comes from a Greek word that means “hidden” or ...