Computer encryption is based on the science of cryptography (Tyson, 2000),
             which has been used since the days of the Roman Empire. Prior to the
             technological age, the governments used cryptography for military purposes.
             The existence of coded messages dates back to the Roman Empire. However,
             most forms of modern cryptography are based on computers, simply because a
             human-based code is relatively easy for a computer to crack.
             Encryption is a strategy used to make email messages, data files and
             electronic-commerce transactions secure (Ouellette, 2003). Encoded blocks
             of data, called keys, are used to protect the message from outside viewers
             while it is traveling across the Internet. When it gets to the recipient,
             that recipient also must use a special key that can unlock the message.
             Computer key encryption is a technology that has been around for decades
             but has only recently gained global recognition as an expedient and
             inexpensive way for businesses to secure their data transmissions. Key
             encryption, which is also known as cryptography, has gained popularity
             recently for three reasons: Internet and extranet growth, an accelerating
             electronic-commerce market and a more mobile and remote workforce.
             In today's global marketplace, businesses need to use the Internet and
             email to send vast amounts of information, including purchase orders and
             client data, to customers, vendors, researchers and more. However, security
             concerns pose a barrier to their ability to do web-based electronic
             commerce. Key encryption offers a solution to this problem.
             Most computer encryption systems fall into one of two categories (Tyson,
            
• Symmetric-key encryption
            
• Public-key encryption
             In symmetric-key encryption, each computer has a secret code or key that it
             uses to encrypt a packet of information before it is sent to another
             computer via a network. Symmetric-key requires that u...