Key Management and Secure Communications

Abstract

Key management is a critical component of computer/network security and encryption.  At a fundamental level, systems today are utilizing the same encryption tools and techniques as a generation ago.  The rapid pace of change in computing technology combined with ever-increasing sophistication in attack methodologies has put encryption techniques in jeopardy.  There are also many sectors, such as the medical sector, that has an abundance of legacy systems that cannot make use of new encryption technologies but are still victim to the more sophisticated attack methods.  The result is defense mechanisms becoming outdated while the attackers gain access to better tools and attacks.