Discuss the basic components of cryptography

Cryptography involves several fundamental components that work together to secure communication:

• Plaintext: This is the original, readable message or data. For example, the message "Hello World" before any encryption is applied.
• Encryption Algorithm (Cipher): This is the mathematical procedure used to transform plaintext into ciphertext. Examples include the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or the RSA algorithm.
• Ciphertext: This is the encrypted, unreadable form of the plaintext. It appears as random data. For instance, "Hello World" encrypted with AES might become "Ux2Fh&0aBc@9PqR...".
• Key: A key is a secret piece of information, typically a string of bits, used by both encryption and decryption algorithms. The security of the cryptographic process depends on keeping the key secret. For example, in AES, a 128-bit key is common.
• Decryption Algorithm (Decipher): This is the inverse mathematical procedure that transforms ciphertext back into the original plaintext using the correct key. It reverses the encryption process.