Which term refers to the science of protecting information by transforming it into an unreadable form?

• A. Encryption
• B. Cryptography
• C. Integrity
• D. Availability

Answer: (B)

Cryptography is the science of protecting information by transforming it into an unreadable form. It studies the techniques and mathematics behind securing data, including how to encrypt and decrypt data, manage keys, and design secure protocols. Encryption is the concrete method used within cryptography to turn readable data into ciphertext, but the field itself encompasses the broader study of protecting information, not just the one process. The other terms describe different security properties—integrity refers to data not being altered, and availability means information being accessible when needed—so they don’t capture the method of transforming data to shield it.