Glossary

Encryption in transit safeguards data as it moves between devices, applications, or cloud services, preventing unauthorized interception or tampering. Unlike encryption at rest, which secures stored data, encryption in transit ensures that sensitive information remains protected while being transmitted over public or private networks.

This process typically involves protocols like TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) for web traffic, SSH (Secure Shell) for remote access, and VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) for secure communication. These technologies encrypt data before transmission and decrypt it upon arrival, ensuring that even if attackers intercept the data, they cannot read its contents without the proper decryption key.

Unprotected data in transit is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, packet sniffing, and other cyber threats. Organizations handling sensitive data—such as financial institutions, healthcare providers, and SaaS companies—rely on encryption in transit to comply with security regulations and maintain user trust.