This document provides an overview of cryptography. It begins with an introduction and then defines cryptography as the practice of hiding information. The document discusses the purposes of cryptography which include authentication, privacy, integrity, and non-repudiation. It then describes the different types of cryptography including secret key cryptography and public key cryptography. Secret key cryptography uses a single key for encryption and decryption while public key cryptography uses separate public and private keys. The document concludes with a brief discussion of how the type of cryptography used depends on the requirements for speed or secrecy.