Cryptographic Action Security Pattern

This pattern encapsulates the common considerations for integrating cryptographic primitives into a system. It acts as a foundation for specific patterns like Encryption, Digital Signature, and Message Authentication Code (MAC).

Purpose

This pattern does not directly address a specific security problem but provides essential guidance for correctly applying cryptographic solutions. Proper implementation of cryptographic actions is crucial—incorrect usage can nullify all security guarantees.

Core Components

Data Elements

• input: The plaintext data on which the cryptographic action is performed
• output: The result of the cryptographic action (e.g., ciphertext, digital signature)