Encryption is a cybersecurity technique that converts data into a secure, unreadable format to protect it from unauthorized access. It ensures confidentiality and data integrity by transforming plaintext into ciphertext using cryptographic algorithms. Encryption is widely used in securing online communications, financial transactions, cloud storage, and blockchain technology.

How Encryption Works:
Encryption uses cryptographic keys to encode and decode data. The two main types of encryption are:

Symmetric Encryption: Uses a single key for both encryption and decryption (e.g., AES, DES).
Asymmetric Encryption: Uses a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption (e.g., RSA, ECC).
Additional key encryption concepts include:

End-to-End Encryption: Ensures that only the sender and recipient can access the original message.
Hashing: Converts data into a fixed-length string that cannot be reversed (used for passwords and digital signatures).
Transport Layer Security (TLS): Encrypts internet traffic to secure websites and online transactions.
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By implementing encryption, organizations protect sensitive information from hackers, cyber threats, and data breaches.