Why you need encryption Computer networks are not, by themselves, particularly secure. Neither the shouter nor the listener has any way of knowing whether any of the other people in the room might be overhearing the conversation.
Encryption is extremely important for passwords.
Sending an unencrypted password across the network gives an open invitation to hackers. Once your password has been compromised, a hacker can access your personal e-mail as well as your personal data and data stored on shared systems. For many years telnet has been the means by which users logged onto remote computers. But telnet transmits data in plain readable text, which is readily intercepted by hackers. SSH clients work just like traditional telnet clients.