Which security technology works to scramble computer messages and/or data?

Which security technology works to scramble computer messages and/or data?

• A. Decryption
• B. Encryption
• C. Hashing
• D. Masking

Answer: (B)

Encryption is the security technology that turns readable data into unreadable ciphertext, scrambling the content so that only someone with the correct key can revert it back to readable form. This protects confidentiality for messages or data both in transit and at rest. Decryption is simply the reverse process used to restore the original message, not the scrambling method itself. Hashing creates a fixed digest used for integrity checks and cannot be reversed to reveal the original data, so it isn’t about scrambling for secrecy. Masking hides sensitive values in displays or datasets but doesn’t securely transform the entire message with reversible keys. Encryption best fits the idea of scrambling data to keep it confidential.

Encryption is the security technology that turns readable data into unreadable ciphertext, scrambling the content so that only someone with the correct key can revert it back to readable form. This protects confidentiality for messages or data both in transit and at rest. Decryption is simply the reverse process used to restore the original message, not the scrambling method itself. Hashing creates a fixed digest used for integrity checks and cannot be reversed to reveal the original data, so it isn’t about scrambling for secrecy. Masking hides sensitive values in displays or datasets but doesn’t securely transform the entire message with reversible keys. Encryption best fits the idea of scrambling data to keep it confidential.