Every modern computer has tools for encrypting data to make it impossible for anyone without a valid key. But what is encryption exactly and how does it work? This article explains the fundamentals of encryption and how it helps protect sensitive information from hackers.
In simplest words, data encryption converts readable information into coded encryption that can be deciphered by authorized users with the correct password. It is a critical component of cyber security which guarantees the privacy of data and keeps sensitive information out of the fingers of users who are not authorized.
A common form uses mathematical models that are cryptographic in order to convert the original information into a jumbled set of characters (also known as ciphertext). Encryption algorithms “scramble” individual bits in a random fashion, such that even with a huge computing power, it would take a lot of time to discover the key that will convert back to plain text.
For example, if you use the most common form of encryption, referred to AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) for your digital files, every one of the ones and zeros that comprise it is scrambled ten times in an uni-random pattern. It would take computers a long time to rearrange all the numbers in the correct order without the key.
The encryption process can also be employed to prevent data leaks and ransomware. Hackers who steal encrypted information can’t read the information, and can’t threaten the company, or the person involved with threats to release the stolen data onto the dark web. Furthermore, encryption protects backup systems from hackers since they cannot access the data in its original format.