How does encryption work?
Essentially the plaintext is combined with a mathematical algorithm (a set of rules for processing data) such that the original text cannot be deduced from the output file, hence the data is now in encrypted form. To enable the process to be secure, a key is combined with this algorithm. This key might be a personal key for your own use or it might be a system generated session key. In this case, you will never need to know the key. It is only used for one session then discarded. A new key will be generated for the next session. Generally a personal key will be used again and again and need the protection of a passphrase. Some programs offer a choice of both a passphrase or a keyfile or both may be used together. Obviously the process must be reversible, but only with the aid of the correct key. Without the key, the process should be extremely difficult. The mathematics of the encryption should be openly available for peer review.
Essentially the plaintext is combined with a mathematical algorithm (a set of rules for processing data) such that the original text cannot be deduced from the output file, hence the data is now in encrypted form. To enable the process to be secure, a key is combined with this algorithm. The key is protected by a passphrase. Obviously the process must be reversible, but only with the aid of the correct key. Without the key, the process should be extremely difficult. The mathematics of the encryption should be openly available for peer review. At first sight this may appear to compromise the encryption, but this is far from the case. Peer review ensures that there are no “back doors” or crypto weaknesses within the program. Although the algorithm is understood, it is the combination of its use with the passphrase that ensures secrecy. Thus the passphrase is crucial to the security of the data.
Everything that travels through the Internet during your online session – from your password to your instructions to complete a fund realignment – becomes a string of unrecognizable numbers before entering the Internet. Both Wells Fargo’s computers and the browser you use to surf the Web understand the mathematical formulas, called algorithms that turn your online session into numeric code and back again into meaningful information. These algorithms serve as “door locks” on your account information. And while Wells Fargo and your computer can easily translate this code back to meaningful language, this process would be a daunting, almost impossible task for unauthorized intruders. That’s because there are billions of possible keys that could potentially solve each formula – but only one that will work. Every time you begin an online banking session, your computer and Wells Fargo’s systems agree on a random number that serves as the key for the rest of the conversation.
All the data that is passed back and forth over the Internet during your OnLine Teller session is encrypted and becomes a string of unrecognizable numbers before leaving your computer or our site. Our site and your browser hold the keys for solving the mathematical algorithms used to encrypt the data. Each time you establish an OnLine Teller session, our site and your browser agree on a random key that is used for that session. This makes it possible for the two computers to pass data back and forth and make it recognizable.
Encryption is based on a key that has two different parts; the public part and the private part. The public part of the key is distributed to those you want to communicate with. The private part is for the recipient’s use only. When you send personal information to secure.bfsfcu.org, you use BFSFCU’s public key to encrypt your personal information. That means, if at any point during the transmission your information is intercepted, it is scrambled and very difficult to decrypt. Once BFSFCU receives your encrypted personal information, we use the private part of our key to decode it.
