Glossary

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Ciphertext

Ciphertext is encrypted data that has been transformed using an encryption algorithm and a secret key. It is unreadable to unauthorized parties and can only be decrypted using the same secret key and the corresponding encryption algorithm.

Ciphertext is used to protect the confidentiality of data and to ensure that it is not accessible to unauthorized parties. It is widely used in a variety of applications, including secure communication, data encryption, and password storage.

To create ciphertext, the sender of the message first creates a secret key that is used in conjunction with the encryption algorithm to encrypt the data. The encrypted data is then referred to as ciphertext.

To decrypt the ciphertext, the recipient of the message uses the same secret key and the corresponding encryption algorithm to transform the ciphertext back into its original, unencrypted form.

Ciphertext is generally considered to be secure when it is encrypted using a strong encryption algorithm and a strong key. However, it can be vulnerable to attacks if the key is compromised or if the encryption algorithm is weak or has been broken.