What is Encryption/Decryption?

Encryption/Decryption is the process of encoding information (encryption) to protect it from unauthorized access, and then converting it back to its original readable form (decryption). Encryption is achieved by using an algorithm (cipher) and a key. Decryption uses the same key or a different key, depending on the encryption algorithm used. It is commonly used to secure data at rest (e.g., files on a hard drive) and data in transit (e.g., internet communications).