The History of Information Security - Term Paper Example

The History of Information Security from Ancient Egypt to Present day Information security has developed to become a crucial need for all information operations due to the rapid rise of information hackers and attackers. The history of information security stretches back to ancient periods, and it began with the creation of a bureaucracy in the administration competition. Aspects like interference of the encrypted messages drew much attention during the First World War, whereas other important aspects have remained considerably not covered. The traditional information security techniques that were used in ancient Egypt such data hiding, watermarking and cryptography, are some of the basic notions, and they do play a significant role in the development of the information security sector algorithms and solutions. New trend in information security includes biometric technologies deliver good security levels nowadays. It is easy to combine the traditional techniques with biometrics so as to realize much resilient security levels. The field of technology in line with information security has continued to develop in leaps since the ancient times (Blackwood 396). Despite the fact that not all companies or organizations have been in a position to embrace the latest security systems, information security will surely grow to a greater height. Information security is a concept that is broad than technology. It involves protecting information and relevant information systems from access that is not authorized or use, disclose, disrupt and destroy vital information. There has never been some struggle or effort to come up with an all-inclusive history regarding information security (Blackwood 97). This is quite unfortunate simply because information security should be taken as a set of vessels that are communicating, where the technical inventions can make the prevailing organizational frame-works obsolescent, and a failure of political authority may lead to a special dependence on the technical means. The aim of this paper is to critically analyze the history of information security from Ancient Egypt to present day. Egypt is one of the most talked about civilizations in the world. Ranging from its quest for development in agriculture, trade, and industry, the country had also a great interest in technological development especially in information security. The development of the forms of information security in Egypt has been stepwise. One main form that was used is encryption. This is the process of converting messages or data into a form that is not readable to any person except apart from the intended recipient of the information. The data which is encrypted must be decrypted before it can be seen by the recipient. In its earliest form, the Egyptians attempted to conceal vital information which they wanted to preserve for their own possession by replacing some portions of the information with some symbols, pictures or numbers. It is in 1900 BC that the ancient Egyptian scribes started to use encryption in transferring information from one place to another. Encryption is still used in modern day life. It is mainly used in transactions that are carried out over insecure communication channels like the internet. This method is also used to protect data that is being transmitted between digital devices such as the automatic teller machines and the mobile telephones. Additionally, encryption is employed in the development of digital signatures that allow some messages to be authenticated. Another method that was used in information security in Ancient Egypt is cryptography. The earliest recognized texts contained some components of cryptography first originated in an Egyptian known as Menet Khufu more than 4000 years ago on the tomb of a nobleman called Khnumhotep II. In around 1900 BC, one of his scribes drew the master’s life in the tomb. It is during this time that he used a number of symbols that were unusual in order to obscure the meaning of the writings (Singh 523). This method was an example of a substitution cipher whereby a cipher system takes the place one character for another. With the evolution of the Egyptian culture, hieroglyphic substitution grew to become more common. This method of encryption was preferred simply because it was easy for those who could read and write. The Egyptian used this encryption system because they strived to preserve the sacred nature of their religious customs. With cryptography, the scribes desired to give the appearance that is formal to their writings (Singh 536). This is almost similar to the formal, complicated language that is used a modern legal document. The Egyptian cryptography could also be considered as a way the scribes used to influence others by displaying they could write at an advanced level. The art of cryptography did not show any major advancements until in the Middle Ages. By that period, this art had spread from Egypt to other European countries who utilized cryptography in one way or another (Singh 412). This form of information security was mainly used by the ambassadors to keep in touch with each other. In modern times, the key technique of cryptography has realized wide adoption. The use of a mutual key and a secretive key held only by the sender has been in use today mainly as a form of unbalanced encryption. One of the main uses of this method is for the sender to practice the private key to encode the information and then the person who receives the message will use the public key to decode it. In this way, the person who receives the message will know the sender of the message. This method is widely regarded as the mainstay of the digital signature. The problem only arises when communications between many organizations necessitate the use of a number of public keys. Nevertheless, no matter the method that is employed, a combination of many methods will yield the best results. In no doubt, cryptography has played a key role in the development and streamlining of data integrity in many communities and cultures. While history may tend to bring out a different picture, the statement that winners often develop a good history is worth noting. By its nature, cryptography recommends secrecy and misdirection. With technology advancements today, information security in Egypt and the world at large is an emerging sector that is undergoing substantial change. The main suppliers that are influencing the information security industry include groups of technology dealers, consultants, system integrators, and defense companies. The market research that is available does not give the correct consensus of the information security market. Unlike in the ancient times, information security necessities will be motivated by a number of macro level factors over the coming decades. These factors include climate change, regulation, evolving demographics, and globalization. These factors are likely to present numerous opportunities to organizations that are currently dealing with issues that are related with information security and the companies that provide services that deal with information security (Lehtinen 312). Because of this, there has been a greater extent of subdivision within the information security market. For instance, rapid rise of importance in information security like the healthcare sector will drive technological requirements. In addition to that, the heavy expectations that come with securing any company’s information, the government and many institutions in the world at large are employing information security analysts. These specialists are accountable for taking care of all the data and the communications that are stored and shared in multiple computer network systems (Lehtinen 156). For example in the financial industry, the security analysts are required to continually renovate the firewalls which are responsible for prohibiting access to some sensitive information, and they must perform the required tests to ensure that the system is of high integrity, and no unauthorized persons will access the vital information. In conclusion, the development and approaches to information security have really developed since those days of ancient Egypt to date and Egypt should be credited for such innovations. These advancements have gone to revolutionize the information and the way in which it is handled in the modern world. The increasing focus in information security has provided a competitive advantage as the organizations have known that effective information security will increase the number of customers to use their products. Organizations should consider the potential benefits and the costs that come with information security. Information security should be upheld and be supported as this area continues to develop in the future. Works cited Lehtinen, Rick, and Gangemi Sr. Computer Security Basics. Sebastopol: OReilly Media, 2011. Singh, Simon. The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography. New York: Anchor Books, 2000. Blackwood, Gary L, and Jason Henry. Mysterious Messages: A History of Codes and Ciphers. New York, N.Y: Dutton Childrens Books, 2009. http://www.fknbih.edu/Portals/0/Nastavnici-dokumenti/Budimlic%20M/Kiberneticki%20kriminalitet/A_InformationSecurity2020_Bernik.pdf http://content.hccfl.edu/pollock/AUnixSec/InfoSecOverview.htm Read More