What term refers to protecting information by converting it into an unreadable form?

What term refers to protecting information by converting it into an unreadable form?

• A. Encryption
• B. Decryption
• C. Hashing
• D. Access Control

Answer: (A)

Encryption is the process of converting readable data into an unreadable form to protect confidentiality. It uses algorithms and keys to transform plaintext into ciphertext, which can only be restored to readable data by someone with the correct decryption key. This makes the information unreadable to anyone who doesn't have the key, whether it’s being stored or transmitted. Decryption is the reverse process that returns the ciphertext to plaintext. Hashing, on the other hand, is a one-way function used to verify integrity and authenticity; it doesn’t allow you to recover the original data. Access control governs who can access or perform actions on data but does not inherently transform the data into an unreadable form.

Encryption is the process of converting readable data into an unreadable form to protect confidentiality. It uses algorithms and keys to transform plaintext into ciphertext, which can only be restored to readable data by someone with the correct decryption key. This makes the information unreadable to anyone who doesn't have the key, whether it’s being stored or transmitted. Decryption is the reverse process that returns the ciphertext to plaintext. Hashing, on the other hand, is a one-way function used to verify integrity and authenticity; it doesn’t allow you to recover the original data. Access control governs who can access or perform actions on data but does not inherently transform the data into an unreadable form.