What process converts a message from plaintext to ciphertext?

The process that converts a message from plaintext to ciphertext is known as encryption. This transformation utilizes algorithms and keys to ensure that the data is secured from unauthorized access during transmission or storage. The primary goal of encryption is to protect sensitive information by making it unreadable to anyone who does not possess the appropriate decryption key.

Plaintext refers to the original, unprotected data that is easily understandable, while ciphertext is the scrambled, unreadable version of that data created through the encryption process. The effectiveness of encryption depends on the complexity of the algorithm used and the strength of the key.

In contrast, the other options refer to different processes: encoding is about converting data into a different format for various purposes but does not inherently protect data like encryption does; deciphering is the reverse process of encrypting data, where ciphertext is converted back to plaintext; and hashing creates a fixed-size string of characters from data and is often used for integrity verification rather than confidentiality.