Signcryption is the merging of digital signatures and encryption. The two things - the signatures and the encryption - often are disparate components. Signcryption seeks to unite the two. Although it’s a relatively new concept, it’s receiving notice from Homeland Security and other entities. If it were to gain traction - which it appears to be doing - it could help with maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of systems.
It is gaining traction and attention because of Yuliang Zheng’s work with signcryption. His efforts have been formally recognized by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO). The technology could impact anything from online banking to cloud computing.
In essence, signcryption prevents a person’s username and password from being viewed by unauthorized individuals while simultaneously confirming the person’s identity with the authorized viewer. Zheng believes that signcryption could affect smaller devices, such as smartphones and wireless sensor networks. The technology itself could impact productivity. By combining digital signatures and encryption, time, energy, and resources could be saved.
It’s not clear when signcryption will become an everyday household term. The recognition by the ISO is a step in the right direction, though. The technology, too, should help in the war against cyber crime.
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