Question

Question 4: Explain the Java Cryptography Architecture (JCA) with some examples of cryptographic providers it comes bundled with. [20] Question 5: I With the aid of example code, explain how to use the security functions in Android application development. [20]​

Answer 1

The Java Cryptography Architecture (JCA) is a set of APIs for secure computation in Java that comes with providers like SunJCE, SunJGSS, and SunEC.

In Android application development, the Android Keystore system is used to manage cryptographic keys with APIs provided by the Android SDK.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Java Cryptography Architecture (JCA) is a framework that provides a set of APIs for secure computation. It includes a variety of cryptographic operations such as secure random number generation, cryptographic key generation, signing, and creating message digests. JCA also supports certificate management and secure storage of cryptographic keys.

Some examples of cryptographic providers bundled with JCA include:

• SunJCE - The default provider that implements various cryptographic algorithms.
• SunJGSS - Provides support for the Generic Security Service API.
• SunEC - Provides implementations for Elliptic Curve Cryptography.

To use security functions in Android application development, the Android Studio IDE includes the Android Keystore system that allows you to store and manage cryptographic keys.

Here is a code to how to initialize a keystore in Android:

KeyStore keyStore = KeyStore.getInstance("Android_KeyStore");

This code snippet demonstrates the retrieval of an instance of 'KeyStore' that is backed by the Android operating system.

After loading the keystore with 'null', you can proceed with key generation, storage, and cryptographic operations using the keystore APIs.