What is the primary purpose of using encryption?

The primary purpose of using encryption is to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access. Encryption transforms data into a coded format that can only be read or decoded by individuals who possess the appropriate decryption key or password. This is crucial for safeguarding personal, financial, and confidential information from cyber threats, data breaches, or unauthorized surveillance. Encryption ensures that even if data is intercepted or accessed by malicious entities, it remains unintelligible and unusable without the decryption mechanism.

The other options, while significant in their own contexts, do not align with the fundamental rationale behind encryption. Improving data access speed, consolidating data storage, and simplifying user authentication are objectives that may enhance system performance or usability but do not directly pertain to the security and protection of sensitive information that encryption fundamentally provides. The primary focus of encryption is to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of data, ensuring that unauthorized users cannot access or manipulate it.