Encryption Glossary

Browse 50 encryption terms defined in plain English, from the cultural dictionary of computing.

50 Encryption Terms

AES
Advanced Encryption Standard, a widely used symmetric encryption algorithm standardized for securing data at rest and in transit. AES became the dominant...
AES-256
AES using a 256-bit key, commonly cited as a high-strength symmetric encryption configuration for protecting sensitive data. The algorithm remains AES; the 256...
Asymmetric Key
One half of a public/private key pair used in asymmetric cryptography, where the public key can be shared and the private key remains secret. Asymmetric keys...
Attribute-Based Encryption
A form of encryption in which decryption depends on satisfying a policy expressed over attributes rather than simply possessing one conventional key. It...
Backup Encryption
Encrypting backup data so that stored copies remain protected if backup media, repositories, or cloud storage are exposed or stolen. Strong backup encryption...
Bitlocker
Bitlocker is Microsoft full-disk encryption for Windows that commonly uses TPM-backed key release and recovery workflows. Security teams use it to enforce...
Block Cipher
Block Cipher is a symmetric cryptographic primitive that encrypts fixed-size blocks of data under a shared secret key. Security teams use it to enforce trust,...
Certificate
A digital document issued by a Certificate Authority that binds a public key to an identity, enabling encrypted communication and authentication. X.509...
Ciphertext
Ciphertext is data after encryption, represented in a form intended to be unreadable without the right key and algorithm context. Security teams use it to...
Cloud Key Management
The use of cloud-based services to create, store, rotate, and control cryptographic keys used across applications and infrastructure. Good cloud key management...
Cryptography
The field of designing and analyzing methods for secure communication, authentication, integrity, and related protections using mathematical techniques. Modern...
CryptPad
A privacy-focused collaborative office and document suite designed to provide end-to-end encrypted editing and sharing. It is often referenced as an example of...
Database Encryption
The use of encryption to protect database contents, whether at the file, disk, table, column, or field level. Its real strength depends on how keys are stored,...
Data Encryption
The conversion of readable data into ciphertext using cryptographic algorithms and keys so unauthorized parties cannot use it. Data encryption is most...
Data Security
The protection of data against unauthorized access, alteration, destruction, or loss throughout its lifecycle. It includes controls for storage, transmission,...
Decryption
The process of converting ciphertext back into readable plaintext using the correct key and algorithm. If decryption is possible for an attacker,...
Disk Encryption
Disk Encryption is cryptographic protection applied to data stored on disks so offline access reveals unreadable content. Security teams use it to enforce...
DoH
Short for DNS over HTTPS, a protocol that sends DNS queries through encrypted HTTPS connections instead of traditional plaintext DNS. It improves privacy and...
DoT
Short for DNS over TLS, a protocol that encrypts DNS traffic inside a dedicated TLS session instead of sending queries in plaintext. Compared with DoH, DoT...
DTLS
DTLS is a transport-layer security protocol adapted for datagram traffic such as UDP-based voice, video, and tunnel traffic. Security teams use it to enforce...
Encrypted DNS
DNS resolution sent over encrypted protocols such as DoH or DoT so intermediaries cannot easily read or tamper with queries in plaintext. It improves privacy...
Encryption at Rest
Encryption at Rest is cryptographic protection applied to stored data so physical or offline access does not reveal plaintext. Security teams use it to enforce...
Encryption in Transit
Encryption in Transit is cryptographic protection applied to data moving across networks to reduce interception and tampering risk. Security teams use it to...
End-to-End Encryption
End-to-End Encryption is a communication design where only endpoints hold the keys needed to read protected content. Security teams use it to enforce trust,...
File Encryption
The encryption of individual files so their contents can only be read with the appropriate key or decryption authority. It is commonly used for sensitive...
HTTPS
HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) is the encrypted version of HTTP, the protocol used for transferring data between web browsers and servers. HTTPS...
Hybrid Encryption
Hybrid Encryption is a design that combines public-key cryptography for key exchange with symmetric encryption for data transfer. Security teams use it to...
IPSec
IPSec is a suite of protocols that authenticates and encrypts IP traffic, commonly for site-to-site or remote-access VPNs. Security teams use it to enforce...
IV
Short for initialization vector, a non-secret value used with certain encryption modes to ensure the same plaintext does not always produce the same...
Key Length
The size of a cryptographic key, usually measured in bits, which influences the search space an attacker would face in brute-force attempts. Key length...
Key Wrapping
The protection of one cryptographic key by encrypting it with another key, typically for storage, transport, or hierarchical key management. Key wrapping is...
Link Encryption
Encryption applied hop by hop on a communication link so traffic is protected while traversing each segment, but may be decrypted and re-encrypted at...
Null Cipher
A cipher or negotiated mode that applies no real encryption to data even though the surrounding protocol may still look like it is using a cryptographic...
OpenVPN
OpenVPN is a VPN system that creates encrypted tunnels over IP networks using TLS-based key exchange and configuration profiles. Security teams use it to...
Partial Encryption
A technique in which only part of a file, dataset, or storage volume is encrypted instead of the whole thing, often to reduce processing time while still...
Payload Encryption
The practice of encrypting a malicious payload so it is harder for defenders, scanners, or intermediate systems to inspect before execution. Attackers often...
PGP
Pretty Good Privacy, a system for encrypting and signing data and email with public key cryptography. It shows up in application security, identity,...
Plaintext Attack
An attack that leverages knowledge of plaintext, chosen plaintext, or predictable message structure to analyze or break a cryptographic system. Plaintext...
Point-to-Point Encryption
Encryption applied from the point where sensitive data is captured to the point where it reaches a trusted decryption environment, commonly used in payment...
Public Key Cryptography
An encryption system using mathematically linked key pairs: a public key (shared openly) for encryption/verification and a private key (kept secret) for...
Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts a victim's files, databases, or entire systems and demands a ransom payment (typically in...
Recovery Key
A backup or alternate cryptographic key that allows access to encrypted data or systems when the normal authentication path is unavailable. Recovery keys are...
Restic
An open-source backup tool known for encryption, deduplication, and support for varied storage backends.
SSL
SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is a deprecated cryptographic protocol originally developed by Netscape in the 1990s to encrypt communications between web...
Stream Cipher
A symmetric cipher that encrypts data one bit or byte at a time using a keystream. It shows up in application security, identity, infrastructure, or incident...
Temporal Key Integrity Protocol
A legacy Wi-Fi security protocol that improved on WEP but is now considered deprecated and weak. It shows up in application security, identity, infrastructure,...
TLS
TLS, or Transport Layer Security, is the cryptographic protocol that secures communications over the internet, providing privacy, data integrity, and...
TLS handshake
The multi-step negotiation process that establishes an encrypted connection between a client and server. During the handshake, the parties agree on a TLS...
Transport Layer Security
The cryptographic protocol family used to secure network sessions such as HTTPS, SMTP, and VPN traffic. It shows up in application security, identity,...
Wi-Fi Protected Access
A family of wireless security protocols used to authenticate devices and encrypt Wi-Fi traffic. It shows up in application security, identity, infrastructure,...

Related Topics