{"id":29064,"date":"2013-09-10T06:00:51","date_gmt":"2013-09-10T13:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=29064"},"modified":"2025-08-27T23:05:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T06:05:13","slug":"what-is-encryption","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/what-is-encryption\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Encryption?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Encryption is the science of encoding and decoding secret messages.\u00a0 It began as cryptography\u2014the ancient Greeks used it to protect sensitive information that might fall into the hands of their enemies. More recently, governments have used encryption for military purposes, but these days the term if often used in reference to online security.<\/p>\n

Encryption is important because it allows technology providers such as website owners to convert sensitive information, such as your credit card number, passwords and other financial details, into a code that cannot be read by cybercriminals or other unauthorized third parties. As an Internet user you should be aware of when encryption is being used, and when it is not, since it can help protect your personal information when doing sensitive transactions.<\/p>\n

So, when you\u2019re doing online banking or online shopping, or registering with a site that requires your personal information, look to see that the website address begins with \u201chttps:\u201d<\/b> instead of just \u201chttp:\u201d since this indicates that this site is using encryption. You can also look for the lock symbol, since this is another indication that the site offers improved security.<\/p>\n

In addition to online shopping and banking destinations, other sites have started offering the option of switching to a secure \u201chttps:\u201d page.\u00a0 Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, for example, now offer encryption since their users are sharing so much of their personal information. Keep in mind, however, that not all websites need this kind of security. Don\u2019t be alarmed if you are on a news site, for example, that doesn\u2019t offer encryption since you generally read content on these sites but do not send or share personal details.<\/p>\n

Tips to Protect Yourself Online<\/h2>\n

Knowing about encryption and how it can protect you is important, so remember to follow these tips to protect yourself online:<\/p>\n