Question Constellation Sign up for free

AQA · GCSE · Computer Science · Higher

Encryption during data transmission

Q15.0 2 marks

Describe how encryption can make the transmission of data more secure.

Write your answer first. You can study the marking guidance whenever you need it.

Study the marking See what earns credit and compare it with a full-mark answer.

Marking points

  1. 1 Explains that encryption scrambles data/turns plaintext into ciphertext before transmission.
  2. 2 Explains that unauthorised users cannot understand the encrypted data.

Full-mark answer

Before transmission, encryption scrambles the plaintext into ciphertext. If an unauthorised person intercepts it, they cannot understand the data without the decryption key.

Why this answer loses marks

Encryption stops data from being intercepted.

Encryption does not prevent interception; explain the change from readable data to ciphertext and why that protects understanding.