The 2020 IoT and Cryptography Application Forum discusses the latest technologies and development trends in the field of cryptography. [Photo/IC]

A variety of the latest technologies and applications integrating internet of things (IoT) and cryptography were released in Wuxi on Oct 22, during the 2020 IoT and Cryptography Application Forum.

The forum, as a key event of the 2020 World Internet of Things Expo, invited experts and scholars from universities, scientific research institutes and famous enterprises to talk about the latest technologies and development trends in the field of cryptography.

Supported by the Chinese Association for Cryptologic Research, this year's forum had a focus on "implementing cryptography law and the constructing of new infrastructure", aiming to promote the application of cryptography in the IoT industry, enhance the protection capabilities on cybersecurity, and promote the high-quality development of China's cryptography industry.

Cryptography, different from passwords widely used when internet users register for services online, refers to products, services or technologies that are given encrypted protection or security authentication by a special transformation of data.

China's first cryptography law was passed in October 2019 and aimed to promote the steady development of cryptography as well as ensure the effectiveness of China's cybersecurity systems starting in January 2020.

The law classifies cryptography into core, common and commercial cryptography. It stipulates that core and common cryptography are used to protect national secrets and should be governed by the strict and united administration of cryptography authorities.

The research and development of commercial cryptography, which is frequently applied in online banking and payment tools, is encouraged by the law, as it can guarantee the safety of information for individuals, enterprises and social organizations and prevent users' personal details from being stolen or falsified.

Wuxi in East China's Jiangsu province has released an implementation plan for the cryptography application and innovation in 2019, which gives guidance on how to integrate cryptography with new technologies and applications in various fields such as finance and cyberspace.

"Wuxi, as the country's first sensor network city and first prefecture-level city with full narrowband IoT coverage, is home to over 2,000 IoT enterprises. The information security issues associated with the IoT industry are worth our attention," said Liu Biquan, vice mayor of Wuxi.

An Xiaolong, secretary-general of the Chinese Association for Cryptologic Research, gives a speech at the forum. [Photo/xhby.net]

An Xiaolong, secretary-general of the Chinese Association for Cryptologic Research, said that with the rapid development of informatization, networking, and digitization, the application of cryptography has penetrated into all aspects of social production and life, and has played an irreplaceable role in safeguarding national security, promoting economic and social development, and protecting the interests of the people.

Wang Xiaoyun, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, noted that the promulgation of China's first cryptography law reflects the large-scale promotion and popularization of commercial passwords.

Wang added that blockchain technology, which is based on cryptographic technology, is a revolution in the working model of big data and can provide data security solutions, which can be mainly applied to the IoT industry.