The primary purpose of encryption is to provide confidentiality. It is the process of converting readable data (plaintext) into an unreadable format (ciphertext) using an algorithm and a key. This transformation ensures that only authorized parties, who possess the correct decryption key, can access and understand the original information. Therefore, its fundamental goal is to protect data from being read or accessed by unauthorized individuals or systems.

B. Encryption makes data unreadable and thus inherently difficult to analyze without prior decryption.

C. While encryption is a critical component of secure data storage, "secure storage" is a broader concept that also includes physical security and access controls. Encryption's specific role is confidentiality.

D. Encryption adds computational overhead to data operations, which generally decreases, rather than increases, processing efficiency.

1. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (2020). Recommendation for Key Management

Part 1: General (NIST SP 800-57 Part 1 Rev. 5). Section 2.1.1

"Cryptographic Mechanisms

" states

"Encryption provides the service of confidentiality by transforming data into an unreadable form." (Page 7).

2. Rivest

R. L. (2006). Lecture 1: Introduction; security mindset; threats

attacks

and assets; policies and mechanisms. MIT OpenCourseWare

6.857 Computer and Network Security. The lecture notes introduce cryptography as a primary mechanism for achieving confidentiality

defined as preventing the unauthorized release of information.

3. Pfleeger

C. P.

Pfleeger

S. L.

& Margulies

J. (2015). Security in Computing (5th ed.). Pearson Education. Chapter 2

"Toolbox: Authentication

Access Control

and Cryptography

" explains that cryptography "transforms a message so that it is unintelligible... The goal is that an outsider

seeing the encrypted data

cannot determine the original data." (Page 49).