Encryption is a process that converts data into a coded form, making it unreadable to unauthorized users. Only users with the correct decryption key can convert the data back to its original form.
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Types of Encryption:

🔰 Symmetric Encryption

  • Uses the same key for both encryption and decryption. It’s faster but requires secure key management, as the same key must be shared between parties. Common algorithms include AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and DES (Data Encryption Standard).

🔰 Asymmetric Encryption

  • Uses a pair of keys – a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. It’s more secure as the private key is not shared, but it is slower compared to symmetric encryption. Common algorithms include RSA and ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography).

🔰 End-to-End Encryption (E2EE)

  • Ensures that data is encrypted on the sender’s device and only decrypted on the recipient’s device, preventing intermediaries from accessing the data.

🔰 Transport Layer Security (TLS)

  • A protocol that provides encryption for data transmitted over networks, ensuring secure communication over the internet.

Applications:

Data at Rest

Encrypting data stored on devices, servers, or storage systems to protect it from unauthorized access.

Data in Transit

Encrypting data while it is being transferred across networks to prevent interception by malicious actors.

Data in Use

Protecting data while it is being processed or used in applications to prevent unauthorized access during operations.

Examples

BitLocker (disk encryption), SSL/TLS (secure web communication), and PGP (email encryption).