What is the primary purpose of encryption in a network?

The primary purpose of encryption in a network is to ensure data confidentiality and integrity. Encryption transforms data into a coded format, making it unreadable to anyone who does not possess the appropriate decryption key. This process protects sensitive information from unauthorized access during transmission over the network. Additionally, encryption helps verify that the data has not been altered in transit, preserving its integrity.

Other options suggest benefits that do not align with the fundamental role of encryption. For example, speeding up network processes and enabling higher bandwidth connections would not be achieved through encryption, as encryption may actually introduce some overhead due to the computational resources needed for encoding and decoding the data. Similarly, keeping data accessible to all users contradicts the objective of confidentiality, which specifically aims to restrict access to only those authorized to view the information. Thus, encryption is primarily focused on protecting the data rather than facilitating broader access or improving performance.