What is the term for the process of converting plaintext into ciphertext?

The correct term for the process of converting plaintext into ciphertext is encryption. This process is essential for securing data, as it transforms readable information (plaintext) into an unreadable format (ciphertext) to protect it from unauthorized access. Encryption uses algorithms and keys to achieve this transformation, ensuring that only individuals with the correct key can reverse the process and access the original plaintext.

In contrast, encoding refers to a method of converting data into a different format using a scheme that is publicly available and typically does not provide security; its main purpose is data representation. Hashing generates a fixed-size string from input data, primarily used for verifying data integrity rather than obscuring original information. Decryption, on the other hand, is the process of converting ciphertext back into plaintext, effectively the inverse of encryption. Understanding these distinctions is vital in the context of data security and management.