BIT4213 Fundamental of Cryptography Individual Assignment 1 Report – Understanding Cryptographic Techniques

INSTRUCTION:

1. This is an INDIVIDUAL
2. You are required to produce ONE (1) REPORT.
3. The document file must be converted to .pdf and named 202509_BIT4213_A1_Your Name.
4. This assignment contributes 20% of the total marks as a continuous assessment.
5. Please answer by using your OWN WORDS based on your understanding.
6. PLAGIARISM and COPYING are PROHIBITED. If there is any evidence of this and you are proven to practice plagiarism, action will be taken, and your marks will be deducted.
7. You must submit the assignment on 6 November 2025 (Thursday) before

11.59 PM.

8. Submission must be made to LMS.

REPORT FORMAT:

***NOTE: Marks will be deducted if you do not follow the format and instructions.

Assignment 1- Understanding Cryptographic Techniques 

Overview

This assignment evaluates your understanding of cryptographic techniques used to protect digital communication. You will explain, compare, and illustrate how symmetric and asymmetric encryption function and how both can be combined in secure systems.

The report should demonstrate your ability to explain technical concepts clearly and apply them to practical cybersecurity contexts.

Learning Outcomes 

Upon completing this assignment, you will be able to:

• Explain the key principles of symmetric and asymmetric encryption.
• Compare and differentiate both encryption techniques with suitable examples.
• Apply and illustrate how encryption methods are combined in secure communication systems.

Instructions

Prepare a short report that includes the following sections.

Use your own words, diagrams, and examples.

Report Structure

1. • Define cryptography and its importance in information security.
   • Explain why encryption is essential for confidentiality, authentication, and integrity.

2. Comparison of Symmetric and Asymmetric Encryption.
   • Use a table to summarize the differences between the two methods.
   • Write a short paragraph after the table describing when and why each method is suitable in practice (e.g., symmetric for speed, asymmetric for secure key exchange).

3. Diagram and Explanation.
   • Draw and explain a simple diagram showing how both methods can be used together in secure communication (hybrid encryption).

Your diagram should include:

• Sender and receiver.
• Symmetric and asymmetric key usage.
• Encryption/decryption flow with labeled arrows.
• Example algorithms (e.g., AES + RSA).

3.2 Explanation:

After drawing, explain how this hybrid method is used in a real-world application such as Secure web communication (HTTPS), Email encryption (PGP), Cloud storage encryption, etc.

4. Conclusion Summarize:

• The main differences between both encryption methods.
• Why combining them provides stronger and faster secure communication.

5. References

Use APA 7th Edition format for any books, articles, or online sources.

BIT4213 Assessment Rubric (20%)