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How is your personal information kept secret on the internet?

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Text reads 'Public Key shared with everybody so anybody can encrypt a message', and 'Private Key can only be decrypted by a comp
How is your personal information kept secret on the internet?

SUBJECTS:  Technologies

YEARS:  9–10


Lots of private data is exchanged over the internet. What are some examples?

As Mia Epner explains, cryptography allows for the secure transfer of data online. How does encryption work? And what is a key?

Today information is encrypted using 256 bit keys. This keeps information safe because it means there are way too many possible key combinations for hackers' computers to try.

Mia describes two types of keys: public keys and private keys. Using the mailbox example in the video, explain to a friend or family member how public and private keys work. What does the 'https' in a web address signal?


Acknowledgements

Video © Code.org



Production Date: 21 Aug 2015


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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