Cryptography is the process of transforming information in order to increase its security. It is often used for communication purposes, protection against cyber-attacks, and authentication of digital signatures. Cryptography establishes an encoded link between sender and receiver by scrambling the original message into a code that only those with the decrypting key can unlock. By doing so it ensures that the data being transmitted remains private and cannot be manipulated or stolen without detection.

The idea behind cryptography dates back to ancient times when military commanders used secret codes as a way to protect their messages from enemy forces. Later on during World War II, cryptographers developed sophisticated techniques such as substitution ciphers and letter transposition which allowed them to create unbreakable codes using mathematical algorithms (Singh). These methods proved essential in keeping Allied plans hidden from Axis forces during the war.

Modern encryption standards have advanced significantly since then; today we have access to powerful computer-generated cryptographic systems such as RSA (Rivest–Shamir–Adleman) Encryption Algorithm which enables secure communication over public networks like the Internet (Lidman et al). This type of system uses two keys—a public one for encrypting data, and a private one for decrypting it—meaning only someone with both keys can decode transmissions sent across these networks.

In conclusion, cryptography has been around in various forms since antiquity but has evolved considerably over time due to technological advancements. In its current form it is an indispensable tool for protecting data online by providing reliable encryption services; allowing us access to safe and secure transmission of confidential information across both public and private networks.