Privacy is the most obvious advantage of encryption. Anyone without the encryption key can't access the information being communicated without spending huge amounts of time and money. Encryption systems can also detect tampering with data in transit. If even a single character of the message is altered in communication, a different value will result from the hashing process upon receipt. Like encryption, this process can be implemented automatically.
Encryption provides a straightforward access control method for information services.
If only authorized users receive encryption keys, the information cannot be accessed by unauthorized users. For such applications as electronic commerce, users need authentication, the assurance that the information they receive is in fact from the purported source. Encryption-based systems can provide digital signatures, a mathematical process that can prove the source of the transmission. These chips can be put into cellular telephones, set-top boxes, wireless networks and controllers, smartcards and delivery systems for entertainment and information. By building protection features into systems during initial design, the incremental cost associated with their addition is small.