Importance of Random Numbers in Cryptography

Cybersecurity has become one of the biggest growth areas over the last decade. It has been forecast that by 2026, the world’s market behind cybersecurity will grow to more than $340 billion.

At the same time, it is also predicted that due to the rapid growth in this area, there will be a huge shortage of personnel. It has been said that by 2025, there will be 3.5 million vacant positions in cybersecurity.

The crimes covered in this area are varied. Back in 2016, Bitfinex was hit for the biggest crypto heist that has ever occurred. Just recently the Department of Justice announced that they had arrested two people for allegedly trying to launder the proceeds of this robbery.

When you consider that said bitcoin was worth $4.5 billion at the time of the arrest, you can begin to understand the temptation for hackers to commit these crimes.

Encryption is just one way that cyber security experts try to protect valuable data. But it isn’t just businesses that need to be wary, you the home user also need to understand how to stay secure when on the net.

How common are cyberattacks?

Most people happily sit at home playing on mobile devices and laptops blissfully unaware of how at risk they may be.

Firewalls, malware protection, and other anti-virus software help to keep potential attacks at bay. You may never see any warnings of someone trying to attack your device, or perhaps only infrequently.

However, these cyberattacks may be happening far more often than you could suspect.

One study by Clark School at the University of Maryland showed that there were attacks almost constantly. The report on the University of North Georgia’s website claimed that cyber attacks were happening every 39 seconds.

This suggests that somewhere in the area of one-third of Americans are in some way affected every year.

What are the most likely forms of a cyber attack?

There is a growing list of cyberattacks, but the most common ones that businesses and homeowners will encounter are as follows:

• DoS or DDoS attacks
• Ransomware
• Malware
• Phishing
• Password attacks
• Man in the Middle attacks

There are also other forms of cybercrime that are known as birthday attacks, and now with many devices being WiFi-enabled, there is another crime known as IoT attacks. This refers to the internet of things and means any device connected to the net could technically be hacked.

DoS and DDoS attacks have recently been in the news as the hacker group Anonymous has targeted various state-owned websites in Russia due to the Ukraine invasion. It could be said that some forms of hacking actually have benefits.

Nevertheless, the majority of hacks are done to steal important information and gain some form of financial benefit.

Why are random numbers useful in combating cybercrime?

Phishing and password attacks are aimed at getting hold of login details from individuals. This could pertain to bank accounts, credit cards, social network platforms, or business networks.

Phishing is the attempt to trick an individual into handing over their details. Often this is done through quite sophisticated techniques such as creating identical websites to match a person’s bank login page.

Phishing has grown far more sophisticated during the pandemic, and many criminals have taken advantage of Covid to pose as government or health officials to gain sensitive data.

Password attacks though are different. These are successful because many people use weak passwords, or even reuse them. Using tricks such as random number generators can make passwords infinitely harder to crack.

Random numbers are used in the blockchain to create secure keys for bitcoin. Using random numbers means a hacker has no way to guess what a password may be.

Where are random numbers used, and are they really random?

Random numbers are a major, and fundamental, part of cryptography.

When messages are sent on services such as WhatsApp, they are encoded. The type of encoding used by WhatsApp is referred to as a pseudo-random number generator.

Typically this is safe for sending messages, but it is also a flawed way to create random numbers as there is a known starting point for the key.

The impact of Artificial Intelligence in cybersecurity cannot be ignored either. To stay ahead of cybercriminals, experts in this area of security are utilizing all manner of tools to improve cryptography.

The future for random numbers would appear to be in the hands of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. They have created a way that guarantees true randomness when numbers are generated.

They have accomplished this through the use of quantum mechanics. The problem with random number generators in the past is that they are not truly random as they rely on algorithms to generate results. Quantum random number generators promise to deliver true randomness, and therefore heighten security.

What are history’s biggest data breaches?

Many people take their online safety for granted, too much so. By taking a peek at some of the firms that have been hit by data breaches it is clear how easy your data could be compromised.

The biggest data breaches include such names as Facebook, MySpace, Yahoo, Alibaba, and Marriott Hotels.

When you consider that many people use the same passwords on more than one platform it becomes clear how important it is to use some form of randomness to your security.

It’s not easy to remember dozens of passwords but there are tools to help in this regard. Password managers are one way to keep a variety of different passwords for your online life.

Use random number generators to provide un-guessable passwords. Maybe these generators aren’t completely random, but they are far better than using your daughter’s or son’s birthday as a password. You may be surprised how many people think that is still a good idea.

How can you use random numbers in your everyday online security?

One of the simplest and best ways to secure your Android device is to add a passcode. Nearly every smartphone owner adds a passcode.

Yet, many people still don’t bother to add passwords to their laptops or desktops. These devices are often left logged into social networking platforms, gaming sites, and other areas that have sensitive data visible.

Lastpass, Dashlane, and Keeper Password Manager, all produce random numbers when they generate passwords for you. Alternatively, search for a random number generator online. There are plenty available, and although they may not be truly, completely random, they will certainly up your security levels.

Summary

It will be interesting to see how quantum random numbers end up changing the world of cryptography. It is a cat and mouse game with cybersecurity with the good guys trying to keep on staying one step ahead of the hackers.

As you can see from the huge bitcoin heist, and other companies being hacked, cybersecurity doesn’t always work. This is why you need to cover yourself as much as possible.

Choose storage devices with the best encryption methods available. Look for international ISO standards, use random numbers, and don’t use the same passwords on all your favorite websites.

And whatever you do, don’t use your loved one’s birthdates. Hackers love those.