CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ FC0-U61 Cert Guide

Chapter 33

Explain Common Uses of Encryption

Encryption is the changing of information into a code that can only be understood by authorized parties. In this chapter, you learn about the information in Objective 6.6: the differences between plain and cipher text, encrypting data at rest (file level, disk level, and mobile device), and encrypting data in transit (email, HTTPS, VPN, and mobile applications).

Foundation Topics

Plain Text vs. Cipher Text

Plain text (also known as plaintext) is the original message before encryption. Cipher text (or ciphertext) is the message after encryption. The receiver of the cipher text must have a decryption key to convert the cipher text back into plain text.

Here’s a simple example of a plaintext message: ...