Decryption is the process of converting encrypted or encoded data or text back to its original plain format that people computer applications can easily read and comprehend. This is the opposite of encryption which involves coding data to make it unreadable by everyone but only by those with matching decryption keys.
Encryption and decryption is a cyber security practice that makes it harder for people such as criminals to intercept and read the information they are not supposed to. The encryption makes it harder or impossible for unauthorized people to steal information, usually during transmission over the internet or when in storage.
While the encryption protects the data, the recipients must have the right decryption tools to decode or remove the coding to access the original information. What the decryption does is to unencrypt the data and can manual, automatic using appropriate software or by use of specific keys, passwords or codes. This transforms the unreadable or garbled data to the original text files, e-mail messages, images, user data, and directories that users and computer systems can read and interpret.
Only the authorized people can decrypt the data since the will need the keys. In the encryption-decryption process, the person who encrypts the data must provide the recipients with the ability to decode the data either by supplying the manual or passwords or by the use of automated decryption software.
Other than the software-controlled process, some security hardware comprises of integrated circuits that can encrypt and decrypt the data passing through them. Some of these are found in network routers, firewalls and associated security equipment for sensitive applications. These are also used in secure storage devices such as portable, network storage, UB flash disks, etc.
During operation, the physical integrated circuit comprising special processors encrypt or code the outgoing data while decoding or decrypting the incoming data. The hardware-based encryption and decryption provides a more secure process but is usually more expensive and than the software decryption option.