Fighting malware and spam

Encryption

Locking or concealing data using a code

Encryption is a central part of security, as it allows data to be stored in a safe way, ensuring that only those with the correct key or password can access the information thus stored.

Encryption is carried out on many levels in many parts of computer and internet use. Secure websites use encryption to pass traffic securely between their site and their customers' web browsers; secure email systems use encryption to ensure mails cannot be intercepted. A wide range of user-level encryption software is available to allow users to lock down important files, or even whole areas of disks, to prevent data being harvested by malware - some security suites include such functionality as part of their security provisions. Popular standalone encryption systems include PGP, of which an open-source, freeware implementation, GPG, is also available.