What is the process called that involves coding data to protect it from unauthorized access?

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The process of coding data to protect it from unauthorized access is known as encryption. Encryption transforms readable data, or plaintext, into an unreadable format, or ciphertext, using algorithms and keys. This process ensures that only authorized individuals with the correct decryption key can access the original data.

Encryption is essential for safeguarding sensitive information such as personal data, financial records, and confidential communications. It plays a critical role in maintaining privacy and security in various systems, particularly in contexts like online transactions, data storage, and data transmission over networks.

In contrast, encoding refers to the conversion of data into a specific format for efficient transmission or storage but does not provide security. Decoding is the reverse process of encoding, turning the encoded data back into its original format. Transcoding involves converting between different formats and is typically used for media files, not for securing data.

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