Modern computers come with tools to secure data which makes it unreadable to anyone who does not have the correct key. What is encryption and how does it work? This article explains the fundamentals of encryption and how it can help protect sensitive information from hackers.
In simplest words, data encryption converts the information that is readable into encrypted text that can only be deciphered by authorized individuals with the right password. It is an important component of cyber-security that provides the security of data and protects sensitive information from non-authorized users.
An encryption method that is commonly used employs cryptographic mathematical models to transform the original data into a garbled collection of characters that isn’t easily comprehendible (known as”ciphertext”). The encryption algorithms “scramble” bits of data in a random manner, so that even with massive computing power, it would take a very long time to try and find the key to convert back to plain text.
For instance, if use the most common form of encryption, known as AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) on your digital files, every one of the zeros and ones that comprise it gets scrambled ten times, creating a semi-random pattern. It will take a computer some time to reorder all the numbers in the proper order, without the key.
Also, encryption is used to protect against data leaks and ransomware. Hackers who gain access to encrypted data cannot read the data and aren’t able to blackmail the company or the person involved by threatening to release the stolen data to the dark web. Encryption also protects backup total av pricing systems against hackers since they are unable to access the data in its original format.