TestOut LabSim A+ Certification Practice Exam

Which security measure helps to keep data private by converting it into an unreadable format except for those with the decryption key?

1. Hashing

2. Encryption

3. Masking

4. Tokenization

The correct answer is: Encryption

The chosen answer, which is encryption, is correct because encryption is a process that transforms data into an unreadable format using algorithms and keys. This ensures that only someone with the proper decryption key can revert the data to its original, readable state. Encryption is a vital security measure used to protect sensitive information, making it inaccessible to unauthorized users. Hashing, while also a data protection method, is a one-way function primarily used to verify data integrity rather than to keep data private since it cannot be reversed. Masking alters the data to hide it, but it does not provide the same level of security as encryption, as the original data can sometimes be inferred or partially retrieved. Tokenization replaces sensitive data with non-sensitive equivalents or tokens that can be mapped back to the original data only in a secure environment, but this process does not inherently encrypt the original data. Therefore, encryption stands out as the most effective method for keeping data private by making it unreadable without the appropriate key.