What is the primary function of encryption in digital communication?

The primary function of encryption in digital communication is to prevent unauthorized access. Encryption transforms readable data into a coded format, ensuring that only authorized users with the proper decryption keys can access the original information. This process protects sensitive data from being intercepted and read by unauthorized individuals during transmission, thereby maintaining confidentiality and securing communication channels.

When data is encrypted, even if an unauthorized party manages to intercept the transmitted information, they would only encounter garbled, unreadable text, effectively safeguarding the information's secrecy. This is crucial in various applications, such as online banking, health records, and secure messaging, where confidentiality is paramount.

While other functions like reducing file size, securing data integrity, and compressing information are important in data handling and transmission, they are not the primary role of encryption. Reducing file size and compressing information involve optimizing data for storage and efficiency, while data integrity focuses on ensuring that the information remains unchanged and authentic during transit. Though encryption can contribute indirectly to these aspects by protecting data from tampering, its main objective is to keep data accessible only to those who are permitted to view it.