What is the primary purpose of encryption?

The primary purpose of encryption is to obfuscate information to prevent unauthorized access. Encryption transforms readable data into an encoded format that can only be deciphered back to its original form by someone who possesses the correct decryption key. This process ensures that even if data is intercepted or accessed by unauthorized individuals, it remains unintelligible and secure.

In contexts where sensitive information is stored or transmitted, such as financial transactions or personal data communications, encryption serves as a key method of safeguarding that data from hackers and other malicious entities. This protection is fundamental for maintaining confidentiality and integrity in various applications, from securing online communications to protecting stored files.

While the other options pertain to various aspects of data handling and security, they do not directly address the primary function of encryption. For instance, reducing file sizes or creating redundancy relates to storage efficiency and data management rather than securing content. Similarly, user authentication is a separate process that verifies identity but does not protect the content from unauthorized viewing.