How does encryption work in data security?
Ever met people who are so mysterious, you can’t figure out what they’re up to? It might seem frustrating, even egotistical, but you can’t help but admire their ability to keep their lives private. They communicate in coded language, maintaining an air of secrecy that protects them from unwanted attention.
This mysterious lifestyle isn’t just for show—it’s a smart defense against stalkers, robbery, and even kidnapping. The same goes for protecting sensitive documents. Encryption is key to securing both personal and official information, keeping your data safe from prying eyes.
What is Encryption?
/ɪnˈkrɪpʃn,ɛnˈkrɪpʃn/
Noun
The process of converting information or data into a code, especially to prevent unauthorized access.
Another definition: Encryption is a method that transforms information into a secret code, concealing its true meaning.
Encryption has been a cornerstone of data protection for centuries. Initially used by militaries and governments, it’s now widely adopted to secure both stored (at-rest) and transmitted (in-motion) data. It protects against theft, alteration, or compromise by scrambling data into a code that can only be unlocked with a unique digital key.
How encryption works
Imagine you have a secret message. You want to keep it safe from others who might try to read it.
Encryption is like locking the message in a special box. To lock the box, you use a key. Only someone with the correct key can open the box and read the message.
The key is made up of a secret code or password. This code is so long and complex that it’s almost impossible for someone to guess it. Even a powerful computer would take a very long time to try every possible combination.
This is how encryption works. It scrambles the message (called “plaintext”) into a secret code (called “ciphertext”). Only someone with the matching key can unscramble the message and read it.
Why is encryption important?
Encryption is a crucial security tool that protects various types of IT assets and personally identifiable information (PII). It safeguards data by ensuring its confidentiality, authenticity, integrity, and non-repudiation.
- Confidentiality: Encryption scrambles data, making it unreadable to unauthorized parties.
- Authentication: It verifies the origin of the data, ensuring it comes from a trusted source.
- Integrity: Encryption ensures that data remains unchanged and has not been tampered with.
- Non-repudiation: It prevents the sender from denying that they sent the data.
