Encryption Encryption was a method of coding information in a way intended to make it unreadable to anyone but the intended recipients . Several species used encryption to protect their data and the access to it . The way encryption code s were created differ ; some codes were easy to break or to circumvent and other codes were difficult or even impossible to break . The Qomar , a Delta Quadrant species , thought at first that Earth music was a form of encryption . ( ) Encryption was not only used to protect data , such as personal files , but also for communication protocols . The ops protocol on Deep Space 9 was protected by an encryption system . ( ) In Earth ' s 20th century , some database s were also protected by encryption codes . A 24th century Starfleet tricorder had no problem with breaking such a code . ( ) As encryption codes differ in complexity – a fractal - based encryption code could lock out the main computer of a " Sovereign " - class starship in such a way that even the Borg had trouble bypassing it – encrypting or decrypting such codes might take some time . ( ) In the 24th century , encryption programs were used to bypass access protocols . ( ) Although an encryption sequence could be broken by a computer a person could also connect themselves directly to a terminal by means of a dataport and so try to break the encryption . ( ) Hoshi Sato remarked that breaking a Vulcan encryption code would be easier than finding out what Malcolm Reed ' s favorite food was . ( ) Known implementations . Aquatic . Xindi - Aquatic encryption protocols consisted of at least one encryption layer . ( ) Klingon . A 22nd century Klingon encryption protocol had encryption layers which extended to the quantum level . ( ) Cardassian . Elim Garak once said he invented the basic encryption codes for the Obsidian Order . ( ) Most 24th century Cardassian encryption codes used a recursive encryption algorithm . ( ) When created on some computer systems ( such as the one on Deep Space 9 ) , an encryption could only contain seven sequences . ( ) Cardassian Prefect s tended to encrypt their files . ( ) Romulan . Romulans used a progressive encryption lock . This lock consisted of a 43 - part cipher key and was used in their encryption entry sequence . Data could not break the 29th level of such an encryption code while Spock could . ( ) Komar . The Komar used at least six levels of encryption to prevent access to ' s holo - emitters in the hope of preventing the reactivation of The Doctor . ( ) The Hierarchy . The Hierarchy could not break " Voyager " s encryption sequences used for their security protocol , and compromised The Doctor ' s holographic program instead . ( ) Borg . The Borg had their own encryption codes , by which they even could block Starfleet commands . ( ) Encryption code 294 was used to perform such a block . ( ) Starfleet . 24th century Starfleet codes were made up of encryption algorithms . ( ) Every encryption key had an implementation date , the time and date it was to be used . One encryption key on " Voyager " had a stardate of 48423 , one month after they had left Deep Space 9 . ( ) Starfleet also had emergency encryption codes . These were used for short messages in case of emergency . ( ) An encryption circuit contained hardwired security codes . The processing of encryptions was done by encryption subprocessors . 24 isolinear chip s with the number 58966 / D made up the asymmetric encryption circuits of a starship . ( ) Starfleet encryptions even had a frequency . ( )