AS / A Level Computer Science
A CS 17 Security
A CS 17.1 Encryption, Encryption Protocols and Digital Certificates
Candidates should be able to:
Show understanding of how encryption works
Show awareness of the Secure Socket Layer (SSL)/
Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Show understanding of digital certificationÂ
Notes and guidance
Including the use of public key, private key, plain
text, cipher text, encryption, symmetric key
cryptography and asymmetric key cryptography
How the keys can be used to send a private
message from the public to an individual/
organisation
How the keys can be used to send a verified
message to the public
How data is encrypted and decrypted, using
symmetric and asymmetric cryptography
Purpose, benefits and drawbacks of quantum
cryptography
Purpose of SSL / TLS
Use of SSL/TLS in client-server communication
Situations where the use of SSL/TLS would be
appropriate
How a digital certificate is acquired
How a digital certificate is used to produce digital
signatures