Check Out the Main Types of Homomorphic Encryption

The main purpose of homomorphic encryption technology development is to create a far more advanced form of protection for the encrypted data. In simple words, Homomorphic encryption allows an algorithm to perform an infinite number of multiplications and additions to encrypted data. In the end, you will get a cipher text that will let you carry out the same operations again on the encrypted data but only to reveal it.

The main challenge with homomorphic encryption is that producing the required encryption algorithm is extremely difficult. But there are several types of homomorphic encryption to help organizations and expert individuals.

·Fully Homomorphic Encryption

Some experts argue that the fully homomorphic encryption is the pot of gold in the list of homomorphic encryption types. Understanding this type of homomorphic encryption is quite easy. It involves an infinite number of calculations taking place over the cipher text such as addition and multiplications. Still, the end result of the same operations will always be valid.

This type of homomorphic encryption was introduced by Craig Gentry in 2009. Following the initial development in 2009, there have been various improvements to the original algorithm over time. It still remains one of the most popular homomorphic encryption algorithms to date.

·Partially Homomorphic Encryption

In partially homomorphic encryption, the algorithms will support infinite instances of a particular operation taking place. It will lead to an algorithm that’s additively homomorphic. That means, encrypting two plaintexts’ addition and adding two separate cipher texts will produce the same result.

It’s worth mentioning that partially homomorphic encryption algorithms aren’t difficult or as complicated as fully homomorphic encryption type. Some of the most common homomorphic encryption algorithms fall under this category.

It will still require you to have extensive knowledge about the calculations and processing criteria of homomorphic encryption to produce the required algorithms. Plus, the applicability of every encryption type can vary depending on the operations taking place.

·Somewhat Homomorphic Encryption

You will find the names of homomorphic encryption’s types rather amusing. Right after “partially homomorphic encryption” is “somewhat homomorphic encryption”. It’s a real type! But, it’s considerably different compared to fully homomorphic encryption.

In this type, the number of calculations that the encryption algorithm can perform on the data will remain limited. In simple words, a particular operation will involve a finite number of calculations. For instance, any combination that involves five multiplications or additions will produce a valid result through somewhat homomorphic encryption.

However, if the same somewhat homomorphic encryption supports a combination of six operations, the end result may become invalid. It’s even more challenging since it involves the creation a finite number of operations.

Conclusion

Homomorphic encryption is the potential solution to various data privacy and company utility issues. Using homomorphic encryption, companies can perform data analytics on users’/customers’ information without actually viewing it. Otherwise, it would be data privacy invasion, i.e. if companies have to view their users’ personal information.

In a similar sense, if the users/customers control the encryption keys/cipher text to their information, companies will have no option other than to comply with targeted advertising. But homomorphic encryption will have high storage requirements and can involve slow processes.