Which of the following best describes encryption?

Encryption is best described as a process of converting data into a code to prevent unauthorized access. This transformation scrambles the original data into a format that is unreadable to anyone who does not possess the appropriate key or password to decrypt it. The purpose of encryption is to protect the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information by ensuring that only authorized users can access and understand it.

This security measure is crucial in various applications, such as protecting personal information, securing communications, and safeguarding sensitive corporate data. By rendering data unreadable to unauthorized entities, encryption serves as a fundamental component of information security protocols.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of encryption; they refer instead to backup processes, access methodologies, or physical security measures, none of which involve the transformation of data into a coded form to maintain its security against unauthorized access.