Homomorphic Encryption
Homomorphic encryption allows computations to be performed directly on encrypted data, producing an encrypted result that matches the result of the same operation on the plaintext.
What is Homomorphic Encryption?
Definition
Homomorphic Encryption allows computation to be carried out directly on encrypted data: the result comes out encrypted, and decrypting it gives the same answer as running the operation on the plaintext would have done. That property makes it possible to hand a dataset to a third party for processing without ever handing over the ability to read it — which is exactly the cybersecurity problem of separating processing from trust. The obstacle is cost: fully homomorphic schemes remain orders of magnitude slower than plain computation, so practical deployments use partial schemes limited to a small set of operations.
Role in cybersecurity
Homomorphic Encryption plays an important role in building organizational resilience against cyber threats. Implementing appropriate mechanisms in this area is required by regulations such as NIS2, DORA and ISO 27001.