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CBC

Unlocking the Secrets of ECB and CBC: A Guide to Encryption Methods

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

Cryptography methods such as Electronic Code Book (ECB) and Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) are widely used.

ECB is a simple method of encrypting plaintext by dividing it into fixed-size blocks and encrypting each block independently using the same secret key. In other words, if the same plaintext block appears more than once in the message, it will be encrypted into the same ciphertext block (aka will look the same). The ECB encryption method is relatively easy to implement; however, it can be vulnerable to certain types of attacks, such as pattern recognition.

By contrast, CBC is a more secure encryption method that addresses the weaknesses of ECB. CBC encrypts plaintext blocks using the same key and combines them with the previous ciphertext blocks through an operation called an XOR. Thus, even if the same plaintext block appears multiple times in the message, it will be encrypted to a different ciphertext block each time.

The major difference between ECB and CBC is that ECB encrypts each block independently, whereas CBC encrypts each block with the previous block. CBC is therefore considered more secure and resistant to pattern recognition attacks than ECB.

Implementation of CBC mode requires an initialization vector (IV), which is a random value added to the first plaintext block before encryption. An IV is sent along with an encrypted message, so the receiver can use it to decrypt it.

ECB and CBC are symmetric-key encryption methods, meaning that the same key is used for encryption and decryption. As computing power increases, it becomes increasingly important to use more secure encryption methods, such as AES-GCM or RSA-OAEP.

Keywords: Encryption, ECB (Electronic Code Book), CBC (Cipher Block Chaining), Symmetric-key encryption, AES-GCM, RSA-OAEP, Data security, Pattern recognition attack, Initialization vector (IV), Encryption methods, Data privacy, Information security

The CBC chooses Google Apps over Microsoft 365

technologyEdward Kiledjian

The CBC is Canada's public broadcaster and offers an array of TV, radio , internet and mobile device oriented content in English, French and 8 aboriginal languages.

Like most private companies, they are constantly trying to stretch every dollar and deliver the best bang for every buck. They evaluated the 2 major offerings :

  • Google Apps
  • Microsoft 365

They wanted an easy to deploy solution that offered flexible pricing, real-time collaboration and excellent availability guarantees.

Once the decision was made to go with Google, the CBC leveraged the migration expertise of a Google Apps partner to transition its entire staff within 90 days. During deployment, they realized that many of their employees were already using Google's GMAIL service for their personal communications so training was minimal.

It was interesting to read how moving to Google Apps also changed their corporate communication culture. Instead of discussing issues via conference call (which is more impersonal and costly), their employees started to use the video chat features of Google Hangouts (which is accessible from anywhere and from almost any device).

The CBC also liked the real-time communication features of Google Docs that are built into the product. A globally distributed team can collaborate on a single version of each document making the process simpler and more efficient.

The rivals (Microsoft and Google) are really turning up the heat and competition is becoming fierce. More competition means consumers win with better pricing, more highly refined features and companies thinking about improving the user experience.