cyfracyfry

Cyfracyfry is the Welsh term used to denote the field of cryptography, the study and practice of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adversaries. It encompasses the design of algorithms for encryption, decryption, authentication, and integrity protection, along with the analysis and verification of their security properties.

Core concepts include symmetric cryptography, where the same key is used for encryption and decryption; asymmetric cryptography, which uses paired public and private keys; cryptographic hash functions; and digital signatures. Protocols for secure communication, such as key exchange and message authentication, rely on these primitives and are governed by security models and proofs.

Historically, cryptography evolved from classical ciphers to modern mathematics and computer science. The 20th century brought formal definitions of security, the advent of public-key cryptography, and standardized algorithms that underpin current internet security.

Applications range from protecting email and messaging to securing financial transactions, cloud storage, and national or corporate communications. Ongoing research addresses post-quantum security, side-channel attacks, and implementation flaws, aiming for provable security and practical efficiency.

In Welsh-speaking contexts, cyfracyfry is taught in universities and used in industry and government to discuss encryption, data protection, and secure systems alongside English terminology.

See also: Cryptography; Cryptanalysis; Public-key cryptography; Symmetric-key algorithm; Digital signature