Which statement accurately describes encryption at rest and encryption in transit?

• A. In transit protects stored data.
• B. At rest protects stored data; in transit protects data moving across networks; examples: disk encryption for stored files, TLS for web traffic.
• C. At rest protects data moving across networks.
• D. Both protections are the same.

Answer: (B)

Encryption at rest and encryption in transit address different moments of data life. Encryption at rest protects data when it’s stored on devices, databases, or backups—so even if someone gains access to the storage medium, the data remains unreadable. Disk encryption and database-level encryption are common examples that keep stored files safe.

Encryption in transit protects data as it moves across networks. This guards against eavesdropping or tampering while data travels between systems, clients, and servers. TLS for web traffic is a standard example, ensuring confidential and integral transfer of information.

The statement captures this distinction by saying at rest protects stored data and in transit protects data moving across networks, with disk encryption for stored files and TLS for web traffic as concrete examples. The other options mix up where each protection applies or claim they’re the same, which isn’t accurate.