Data that has been enciphered and cannot be read without the cipher key.

Data that has been enciphered and cannot be read without the cipher key.

• A. Ciphertext
• B. Plaintext
• C. Algorithm
• D. Watering hole attack

Answer: (A)

Encryption turns readable data into ciphertext, the unreadable form that can’t be interpreted without the cipher key. This unreadable state is what protects information: only someone with the correct key can decrypt it back into plaintext. Plaintext is the readable form of data, either before encryption or after decryption. An algorithm is the method used to perform the encryption and decryption, not the state of the data itself. A watering hole attack is a type of cyberattack where the attacker targets a website or service likely to be visited by the intended victims, not a description of data form.

Encryption turns readable data into ciphertext, the unreadable form that can’t be interpreted without the cipher key. This unreadable state is what protects information: only someone with the correct key can decrypt it back into plaintext. Plaintext is the readable form of data, either before encryption or after decryption. An algorithm is the method used to perform the encryption and decryption, not the state of the data itself. A watering hole attack is a type of cyberattack where the attacker targets a website or service likely to be visited by the intended victims, not a description of data form.