What is the main purpose of data encryption?

The main purpose of data encryption is to secure sensitive information. Encryption transforms data into a format that is unreadable to unauthorized users, thus protecting the confidentiality and integrity of the information. This is particularly critical in a digital landscape where data breaches and cyber threats are prevalent. By using encryption, organizations can ensure that even if data is intercepted or accessed without permission, it remains inaccessible and unusable without the proper decryption keys.

Improving data processing speed, increasing data size, or converting data to unstructured formats do not align with the primary goals of encryption. Instead, those aspects pertain to different objectives in data management and processing, and do not contribute to the fundamental purpose of securing information against threats.