Home Glossary Data Encryption Data Encryption The A-Z of Privacy Data Encryption: Data encryption is the process of encoding data in such a way that only authorized parties can access it and those who are not authorized cannot. In an encryption scheme, the source information, referred to as plaintext, is encrypted using an encryption algorithm to generate ciphertext that can be read only if decrypted. It is good practice to encrypt data at rest and in transit. However, while encryption can help protect against unauthorized access, it does not protect the privacy of individuals’ data when it’s used by people who are authorized (e.g against an insider attack). Return to glossary
