1) Explain the difference between private-key and public key encryption. Is one better than the other? Explain your answer.
2) What does it mean to crack a key by brute force? Explain the process and why it can take a long time.
3) If you want to place a digital signature on a document meant for me, do you need your own key apir? Do you use my public key or your own private key?
4) Explain how hash codes are used to protect passwords and passphrases.
5) Explain how a man-in-the-middle attack works. Is it possbile to set up a man-in-the-middle attack without breaking the law?
6) Explain how people use digital fingerprints in connection with public keys. When are they useful?
9) Explain how the web of trust works to solve the problem of key authentication.
10) What is a certificate authority (CA)? Explain why a system of CAs is better than the web of trust for e-commerce. When is the web of trust still a useful model of key authentication.
12) If your credit card information is stolen on the Net, is the reason likely to be that someone broke a weak encryption code or something else? Explain your answer.
13) What is the difference between weak encryption and strong encryption? Why does the dividing line between them change over time?