Today, cryptographic technology has become an important support for ensuring network and information security, and its role in confirming authenticity and identifying sources has become more and more prominent. For a period of time, the application scope of cryptographic technology was still very small, and only a few domestic organizations used cryptographic technology. After entering the new century, especially in recent years, informatization has penetrated into every corner of production and life. Common people use network data to create wealth, use computers to verify the authenticity of vouchers, and rely on smart terminals to arrange schedules. Information security has become a practical issue facing everyone.
In fact, the computers, mobile phones and other electronic products we use all have a password system behind them. In the information environment, we need cryptographic technical support every time we download the source of the verification code and every time we pay to ensure the integrity of the data. Since it is not a separate function, but a security guarantee for other functions, people usually do not feel its existence. However, once the cryptographic technology has loopholes, a series of network security problems will arise. From a broader perspective, cryptography is one of the fundamental core technologies in the digital age. Whoever controls the forerunner of cryptographic technology has the ability to control the corresponding network and information. In a sense, the cryptographic technology that goes to virtual space is the same as the space technology that goes into outer space and quantum technology that goes to micro-scale space. It is a key technology related to the future development of the country, and it has important practical significance for grasping the initiative of network development. And long-term impact.
For more than 30 years, I have witnessed the development of China’s cryptographic technology. I still remember that domestic cryptographic algorithm products faced many difficulties in the promotion. Faced with doubts about insecure cryptographic algorithms, low algorithm efficiency, slow running speed, and impractical products, we gritted our teeth, faced the difficulties, and solved them. The key technical problem. Today, in important areas such as financial payments, electronic transactions, and contract signing, we have all used domestic cryptographic products.
From an objective point of view, my country has its own path and method for the development of cryptographic technology. However, compared with the rapid development of information technology, my country’s cryptographic products still have some shortcomings in terms of quantity and application adaptability. For example, many cryptographic products and key management systems used by ordinary people on the Internet are often developed along with foreign information systems, which brings some uncertainty to the security of network information. To improve the ability to prevent and respond to network risks, it is necessary to increase the promotion of security technologies that comply with my country’s cryptographic standards, and take key network security technologies in their own hands.
The theory of cryptography is closely related to engineering. Only by synergizing production, teaching, research and application, increasing the scale of products, and enhancing product adaptability, can the encryption technology be optimized and improved in practical applications. The “Encryption Law of the People’s Republic of China” that came into effect in January 2020 has laid a good foundation for the development of the cryptographic industry and created development opportunities. The issue of cultivating cryptographic technology research talents has gradually attracted the attention of the society. Today, the Chinese Academy of Sciences is stepping up efforts to carry out research on cryptography, compiling teaching materials, and improving related curriculum systems. As a researcher of cryptography, I deeply feel that the responsibility is heavy, and there are still many things to do.
Standing on the podium in class, I often tell students how in the past the older generation of scientists served the country’s major needs and promoted great progress in cryptography. Nowadays, cryptography has ushered in new opportunities and new challenges. I always encourage them, as long as they study earnestly and tackle key problems steadily, they can promote the research and application of cryptographic technology to a higher level and escort network security.