(ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity Practice Exam

Which of these processes is often synonymous with decryption?

1. Encoding

2. Deciphering

3. Encrypting

4. Decrypting

The correct answer is: Deciphering

The process that is often synonymous with decryption is deciphering. Decryption refers to the method of converting encoded or encrypted information back into a readable format, while deciphering specifically describes the act of interpreting or making sense of coded language or information. In the context of cryptography, when information is encrypted, it is transformed into a format that is unreadable to anyone who does not possess the appropriate key or method to reverse the transformation. Deciphering represents the broader term that encompasses the action of restoring the original message from the encrypted form. While the term "decrypting" may seem similar, it specifically refers to the technical process of reversing encryption rather than broadly interpreting code. Encoding refers to transforming data into a specific format for transmission or storage and is not directly related to decryption or deciphering. Encrypting is the process of converting plaintext into ciphertext to secure the data and is the opposite of decryption. Hence, deciphering is the most accurate term that aligns with the concept of decryption in this context.