DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION COMPUTERIED DATA ENCRYPTION SYSTEM

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     Introduction

The ongoing dilemma of digital age is balancing convenience against security. Security is a system safeguards for protecting information technology against disasters, system failure, and an unauthorized access that can result in damage, loss or exposure. There are several reports of spammers, crawlers and hackers who break into people’s privacy to gain illegal access to their data. This has posed greater challenges on people who use database, transact online, and internet users. Information is a valuable and costly asset that must be presented, controlled and planned just like other valuable assets within an organization. This work is designed to provide a security mechanism using a computerized data encryption system, readable data is altered into unreadable form to prevent unauthorized access. Encryption is able to use powerful mathematical concept to create coded message that is virtually impossible to break. It is easy to encrypt a message on a simple personal computer so that the biggest computer in the world could not decipher without spending for more time on the problem that exists in the life span of the entire universe.

There are two basic forms of encryption; private key encryption and public key encryption, the same secret key is used by the sender and receiver to encrypt and decrypt message. Public key encryption also known as asymmetric key encryption uses two different keys at once, a combination of a private key and public key, the private key is known only to your personal computer, while the public key is given by your computer to any computer that wants to communicate securely with it. To decode an encrypted message, a computer must use the public key, provided by the originating computer, and its own private key.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The advent of computer has brought about tremendous advancement in means ways of solving problems. The computer has significantly improved or changed the computation of data, information .or data processing activities. It used for variety of purposes and it has found an application in almost all areas of life The capability of computer qualifies it as an outstanding tool that has been used to perform task that would almost be done manually impossible.

Multimedia is use of combination of data, text, picture, sound, animation, motion video, and graphics on a computer system.” Gives the above definition, and admittedly there are many definitions of multimedia and the focus of this research work is intended to address the development of applications using multimedia.

Use of computing technologies in education has, until very recently, primarily included data and text capabilities, which have proven useful in teaching basic skills and in providing drill and practice to improve skills. Conventional multimedia technologies have been used as auxiliary support to users, often with the help of the users to operate the multimedia devices—remember the person in your grade school who knew how to load the film and operate the projector, or the third grader who operated the TV and VCR when the teacher wanted to show special programs? Most users would admit they wanted to include the educational content material in the “multimedia” as part of their general instruction. However, the fact that the devices are difficult and cumbersome to operate tends to limit their use.

Computer Engineers have presented the public with computer amazing speed, accuracy, portability, flexibility,  Cost effective and its ability to accommodate all fields of operations, which make it not only desirable but inevitable for individuals, group and organizations to posses it.

Information constitutes a vital part of human activities. The processing and manipulation of information or data (text and image) into to desirable form for decision-making can hardly be achieved with more efficiency and reliability, without the use of computer. For instance the continue increase in client population in an organization has made it practically impossible for trade organization to have a face-to –face contact with their customers. The customers can only be reached through the organization’s data obtained from database, the information may be from information house or organization on process is highly computerized.

Many things in life that are known to man are not without problems, and computer is not an exception as an old age goes “there is always two sides to a coin”, the advent of a computer has brought with it problems that poses a threat to organizations and establishment that uses computer as a tool.

One of the threats that posed by the computer is the common computer security breach or rather the unauthorized access to files. This is the major problem in the world now, which is the problem of unauthorized access to data or information due to limited or no proper data security system to the available data of information on circulation. Some people now have adopted the habit of stealing data or information from one organization and selling it to other organization and they even make it as their business, this has caused much organization havoc, especially where there are close competition between the organization and other competitors.

The second is that of computer virus which is defined as “program that attached itself to the useful programs, data, files, and cause their modification, corruption, and deletion”, or in other words virus are defined as “scraps of programs designed to accomplish certain negative task”. On dark side of hackers are those who create programs called viruses or damage computers.

Love Bug (a virus) for instance infected twenty five million computers in twenty countries within twenty-four hours in the year 2000 by Adesina (2002). But the major problem worldwide now is the problem of unauthorized access to data or information. The hardware is not left out because thefts of computer components are rampant these days, which also contributes negatively to the progress of most organization.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The subject matter of this research work “Multimedia Data Encryption on a network Environment” that has been of high interest and concern to most organizations that are currently using computer and computer relate devices. Data crime has been a topic of concern and has wrecked organizations and business establishment in the past and present and if not properly addressed, it may continue even in future. Hacking into organizations top secret files and introducing virus into them or even selling such information to other organizations has really affected some establishments by counter balancing Electronic efficiency.

Some computer crimes are: computer input manipulation, program alteration, unauthorized access, program piracy, hacking, computer theft, Trojan horse, logic bomb, worms, and virus.

1.3 AIMS OF THE STUDY

Multimedia Data security system or management has become necessary at the advent of time-sharing computers, with many terminals dispersed over a large geographical area.

This research work is aimed at developing a software package that will encrypt 32 bit multimedia data files on a network environment.

1.4 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of this research work is:

i.        To provide protective measures that would be use to secure multimedia data system.

ii.       To achieve the design and construction of a user defined package or software that can be used in converting multimedia and other symbols to a form that can only be understood by those concerned.

iii.      Provide a corrective measure that could guarantee reliable security of data and information on hard disk, CD,DVD and other storage devices from unauthorized access or use of data or information even if it is hacked or stolen by illegal users.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This project covers a range of measures that could be employed in securing multimedia data system and procedure that virtually discussed many types of computer crime and their associated privacy and security measures. Though, there are many measures that are technically used to protect the data from or unauthorized disclosure.

Data collection is a process in which data are gathers to facilitate a particular study. Method of data collection can also be viewed as sources of data collection.

Primary source of data collection is the main data collection sources, which have to do with direct contact with data. This includes:

i.        Interview

ii.       Questionnaire

iii.      Record inspection

iv.      Observation

But in the course of this project two techniques are used. These are;

I.       Interview

II.      Observation

 I.   Interview; it allow the respondent to express his/her opinion in full, and it also enable the analyst to explain things the respondent don’t even know.

II.    Observation; it provide first hand information about how activities are carried out, and also help to know weakness involve and ways of finding solution to it.

The analyst is able to know the following information:

I.       Standard operating procedure

II.      Control and check for accuracy and completeness

III.     Efficiency, timely and provision of excess security to data

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

In any research there must be limitation that would hinder the full actualization of its operations however this research work is limited by following factors:

Firstly, this work cannot be used for other purpose other than the related to multimedia data or information and is only restricted to a single password program, enciphering and deciphering of multimedia that will allow access to the system only to authorized staff/users.

Secondly, it only focuses on software files or information rather than hardware security although it explains certain measure that can be adopted for both.

Thirdly, the time frame gives for the completion of the project is also a constraints because of the complexity of the project since is just within a semester is usually four months of session.

Lastly, financial constraint is also a problem that hinders the full researcher by the researcher.

1.8 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

This study serves as a contribution towards improving information, data and information security on computerized information systems especially for organizations where data is transferred from one point to another. It will contribute in solving the problems of insecurity on both network for individual computers on a network. It also enhances the ability to support customers by providing secured and accurate access to all information. In the same manner, it will benefit those who transact online.

Other significant of this work is to provide:

I.   An effective and reliable level of security measures and ensuring a security     system that varies from one organization to another.

ii. Another important significant is for the computer system and operations to carryout good and reliable security measures it is meant for.

1.9 DEFINATION OF TERMS

Based on this research work, the following terms are  used, and briefly defined bellow;

ENCRYPION; a process of converting data/information into another form.

DECRYPTION; a process of converting data/information (multimedia) back to its

Original form.

Clear-text/plaintext; original data/information before it is enciphered/scrambled.

Ciphered text/cryptogram; information (multimedia) that has been converted into other symbols or form.

Ciphers; the secret code used to convert plain text message.

Hackers;  people who steal information without permission.

Cryptography; this is process of hiding writing information.

Cryptographers; those that hide writing information.

Cryptologist; scientist who study different ways to protect information or data.

Cryptanalysis; is the art of breaking of ciphers, some from program codes.

ASCII; American Standard Codes for Information Interchange.

BASIC; Beginners All-Purpose Symbols Instruction Codes.

DES; Data Encryption Standard.