posted on Apr, 27 2005 @ 08:41 AM
Encryption systems are normally based on key pairs - a private key that you keep and use to sign data and a public key that everyone uses to send
encrypted stuff to you.
Because encrypting/decrypting data using a key-pair system is slow, a symmetrical key is normally generated (basically a string of characters) that is
used to encrypt the data and it is THIS key that is then encrypyed using your public key so that only you can find the symmetrical key by decrypting
it with your private key
SO, in short all these systems basically use a single string of data to encrypt data.
The only true way to encrypt data is to write your own program that takes a symmetrical key that then encrypts data. The symmetrical key is the one
you keep in your head.
It's the same as single pad encryption
Do a search on google for "symmetrical encryption programs" or something simliar and you should be able to find a program that takes a symmetrical
key and encrypts a file. Not sure of what bit length is recommended for good security though (haven't been involved with security for some years
now).
SSL is now 128 bit so if you went for a 256 bit symmetrical key you should be OK...although if you had a 1024 bit key that would even be better
8 bits=1 character, so 128 bit =16 characters and 1024 bit = 128 characters.
Cheers
JS