Encryption provides protection for storage, sending, retrieval and access to information.
Encryption works by converting data to make it inaccessible and unreadable to unauthorised people. The only way to read the encrypted data is by using a decryption key.
Encryption can be used for:
- desktop, laptop and tablet computers
- handheld devices such as mobile phones and PDAs
- portable storage devices for example, USB memory sticks and external drives
- removable media, for example floppy disks, DVDs and CDs, backup tapes
- email
Once equipment is encrypted you will need to set a password in order to access it. This must be kept private.