What is data encryption at rest vs in transit? Provide examples

• A. In Transit Encryption Protects Stored Data; At Rest Protects Data Moving Over Networks
• B. None Of The Above
• C. At Rest Encryption Protects Stored Data; In Transit Encryption Protects Data Moving Over Networks
• D. Both Encrypt Data On Cloud Only

Answer: (C)

Encryption serves two different protections: data at rest and data in transit. Data at rest encryption keeps stored information unreadable on disks, databases, backups, or devices, so if someone gains access to the storage they can’t read the data without the key. Examples include full-disk encryption (BitLocker, FileVault), database or table-level encryption, and encrypted backups or cloud storage (AES-256, envelope encryption).

Data in transit encryption protects information as it moves across networks, preventing eavesdropping or tampering. Examples are TLS/HTTPS for websites and APIs, STARTTLS for email, SSH for remote administration, and VPNs (IPsec or TLS-based) for secure network connections.

The best description is that stored data is protected when at rest, while data moving over networks is protected in transit. The other options mix up these concepts or limit encryption to the cloud, which isn’t accurate.