Public Key Encryption
Public key encryption is an extraordinary recent development that has made internet commerce possible. It allows people to encrypt and decrpyt messages without having to share a password to unlock them. It is hard to believe that such a system could exist, yet this mode of encryption is widely used because it is so easy to set up.
This activity works with two people, but it's most exciting with a whole class, with everybody else trying to intercept a message sent between two students
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Try Engineering has an activity called Hand Biometrics Technology which explores how engineers incorporate biometrics technologies into products, but also explores the challenges of engineers who must weigh privacy, security and other issues when designing a system. Students explore different biometrics techniques, find their own hand geometry biometrics, then work in teams of "engineers" to design a high-tech security system for a museum. Download Full Lesson Plan and Student Worsksheets.
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Misha Leder, a Software Engineer at Google has an activity called Privacy and Encryption which can be a nice extension activity. You need to send a secret message to your friend via Internet. But there are very curious guys who want to read your message. How can you deliver the message safely? How can you confuse the very curious guys?