Which term refers to data that has been encrypted and is unreadable without the key?

Which term refers to data that has been encrypted and is unreadable without the key?

• A. Ciphertext
• B. Plaintext
• C. Algorithm
• D. Cryptography

Answer: (A)

Data that has been transformed by encryption into a scrambled form that cannot be read without the key is called ciphertext. This unreadable form protects the information, and only someone with the correct key can decrypt it back to its original readable state, known as plaintext. Plaintext is what you start with before encryption. The algorithm is the specific method used to perform the encryption and decryption, such as various cipher techniques. Cryptography is the broader field that covers the principles and practices of securing information through encryption, decryption, keys, and related techniques. So, the data described as encrypted and unreadable without the key isciphertext.

Data that has been transformed by encryption into a scrambled form that cannot be read without the key is called ciphertext. This unreadable form protects the information, and only someone with the correct key can decrypt it back to its original readable state, known as plaintext. Plaintext is what you start with before encryption. The algorithm is the specific method used to perform the encryption and decryption, such as various cipher techniques. Cryptography is the broader field that covers the principles and practices of securing information through encryption, decryption, keys, and related techniques. So, the data described as encrypted and unreadable without the key isciphertext.