Cryptologic

Cryptologic is an adjective relating to cryptology, the field that studies the design, analysis, and use of cryptographic and cryptanalytic techniques. It encompasses both cryptography, the practice of creating secure communication systems, and cryptanalysis, the practice of breaking or weakening those systems, as well as the broader disciplines of information security engineering and assurance.

The field relies on mathematics, computer science, and engineering. It includes the development and evaluation of algorithms, cryptographic protocols, and key management schemes, as well as hardware and software implementations. Cryptologic work also involves side-channel analysis, security testing, and the assessment of system resilience against attacks.

Historically, modern cryptology emerged in the 20th century with wartime codebreaking and the subsequent development of public-key cryptography in the 1970s. Since then, the field has evolved with advances in cryptographic standards, computational hardness assumptions, and approaches to quantum resistance. Government, industry, and academia all contribute to research, standardization, and policy related to cryptologic methods and their applications.

Applications of cryptologic techniques include protecting privacy and data integrity in communications, securing online transactions, authenticating identities, and enabling digital signatures. In national security and defense, cryptologic activities cover signals intelligence and cyber defense, while in the private sector they underpin secure cloud services, messaging, and data storage.

See also cryptography, cryptanalysis, cryptology.