Network Defense Essentials (NDE) Practice Exam 2025 – Your All-in-One Resource to Exam Success!

Data encryption is a technology that transforms readable data into an unreadable format, ensuring that only authorized users with the correct decryption keys can access and understand the information. In this scenario, Don is unable to read John's confidential file because it has been encrypted, rendering it inaccessible without the proper credentials.

Encryption is widely used to protect sensitive information, especially in environments where data confidentiality is paramount. By encrypting John’s confidential file, the organization ensures that even if unauthorized individuals like Don gain access to it, the content remains secure and unintelligible without decryption mechanisms. This is crucial for maintaining privacy and safeguarding sensitive data from prying eyes.

In contrast, a firewall acts as a barrier between trusted and untrusted networks but does not specifically protect the contents of files. Network monitoring helps track and analyze network traffic but does not prevent access to individual files. Antivirus software is designed to detect and eliminate malicious software, but it does not primarily focus on protecting the confidentiality of data through encryption.