What is the primary purpose of encryption?

The primary purpose of encryption is to protect the confidentiality and integrity of data. Encryption transforms readable data, known as plaintext, into an unreadable format called ciphertext, making it inaccessible to unauthorized users. This process ensures that even if data is intercepted or accessed by malicious actors, they cannot read or manipulate the information without the proper decryption keys. Maintaining confidentiality is crucial in protecting sensitive information such as personal data, financial transactions, and intellectual property.

While options highlighting speed, user authentication, and key generation are important aspects of information security, they are not the primary motivations behind encryption itself. Speed of data transmission may be a consideration in the implementation of encryption, but it is not its main purpose. Similarly, while authentication is important for verifying user identities and securing access to information, it typically involves mechanisms beyond encryption. Generating new cryptographic keys is indeed a part of cryptographic practices, but it serves to support the encryption process rather than being the primary goal of encryption.