In
cryptography, encryption is the process of encoding messages or
information in such a way that only authorized parties can read it.[1]
Encryption does not of itself prevent interception, but denies the
message content to the interceptor.
In
an encryption scheme, the message or information, referred to as
plaintext, is encrypted using an encryption algorithm, generating
ciphertext that can only be read if decrypted.[2] For technical reasons,
an encryption scheme usually uses a pseudo-random encryption key
generated by an algorithm. It is in principle possible to decrypt the
message without possessing the key, but, for a well-designed encryption
scheme, large computational resources and skill are required.
An
authorized recipient can easily decrypt the message with the key
provided by the originator to recipients, but not to unauthorised
interceptors.
