Encryption is a process that protects your information by making it unreadable or unusable by anyone that does not have your key. For example, encryption protects the information on your laptop in case you lose it or secures your credit card information when you make a purchase online.
When information is not encrypted, it is called plain-text, like you see here. This means anyone can easily read or access it. You should encrypt sensitive information to protect it. This converts the information into a non-readable format called cipher-text.
Encryption uses mathematical formulas, called algorithms, and a unique key to convert your information into cipher-text. The key is what locks or unlocks your information, just like a key can lock or unlock a door. A common example of a key is a password, and only people who have that key can decrypt and unlock your information. To protect your encrypted information you need to protect your key. Examples of things that can be encrypted include the following:
· Mobile devices, such as your laptop, smartphone or USB sticks.
· Communication protocols, such as Voice over IP or Instant Messaging.
· Electronic files or folders.
· Your browser’s connections to websites, such as online banking, social networking sites or online shopping.
To learn more about encryption and how to use the different encryption technologies we support, contact the help desk or information security team.