Encryption protects one's privacy by ensuring that no one other than the intended receiver or the legitimate owner of the material may read communications or data that is at rest. This protects the privacy of users by preventing sensitive data from being intercepted and read by attackers, ad networks, Internet service providers, and in certain situations, governments. Encryption is used to ensure that data sent via the Internet has not been read or altered en route by anybody other than the intended receiver. This protects sensitive information. Check out how ethical hacking helps organizations in different ways.