This op-ed does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the author's employer or of Dr. Dobb's Journal . By Bruce Schneier Bruce is a DDJ contributing editor, president of Counterpane Systems, a consulting firm specializing in cryptography and computer security, and the designer of the Blowfish algorithm. This essay first appeared on Counterpane Systems' web site . From e-mail to cellular communications, from secure Web access to digital cash, cryptography is an essential part of today's information systems.
Cryptography helps provide accountability, fairness, accuracy, and confidentiality.
It can prevent fraud in electronic commerce and assure the validity of financial transactions. It can prove your identity or protect your anonymity. It can keep vandals from altering your Web page and prevent industrial competitors from reading your confidential documents. And in the future, as commerce and communications continue to move to computer networks, cryptography will become more and more vital. But the cryptography now on the market doesn't provide the level of security it advertises.