What is the primary goal of encryption in data security?

The primary goal of encryption in data security is indeed to convert readable data into encoded data. This process ensures that sensitive information is transformed into an unreadable format for unauthorized users. By applying algorithms and cryptographic keys, encryption protects the confidentiality and integrity of data, making it accessible only to those who have the appropriate decryption key. This capability is crucial in preventing data breaches and protecting personal and organizational data from malicious access.

While storing data securely is important and can be supported by encryption, it is not the primary function. The other options, such as transmitting data faster and compressing data for efficiency, do not relate directly to the goal of encryption. Encryption focuses fundamentally on safeguarding data through encoding, rather than on transmission speed or data compression.