Encryption

Encryption↗ is the process of converting readable information into a scrambled, coded form that can only be read again by someone with the correct decryption key. It's the fundamental technique behind everything from HTTPS websites to encrypted messaging apps.

Encryption protects data both in transit, as it travels across a network, and at rest, while stored on a device or server. Even if an attacker intercepts or steals encrypted data, it remains unreadable and useless without the key.