In recent years, encryption has become really important for keeping data safe in schools and universities. Here are some reasons why encryption matters:

1. Data Breaches: A report from 2021 said there were 1,862 data breaches in the U.S., which exposed over 300 million records. Schools hold a lot of personal information, making them easy targets for hackers.

2. Protecting Sensitive Information: Encryption helps protect personal information and important ideas. For example, a law called FERPA requires schools to keep student records safe. When schools use encryption, they not only follow the law but also make their data more secure.

3. Types of Encryption:

   • Symmetric Encryption: This method uses the same key to lock (encrypt) and unlock (decrypt) data. For example, the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a popular way to encrypt large amounts of data quickly.
   • Asymmetric Encryption: This method uses two keys: one public and one private. RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) is a type that helps keep communications safe over the internet.

4. Data Integrity and Authentication: Encryption also ensures that information hasn’t been changed while it’s being sent. Techniques like hashing (for example, SHA-256) help check that data is complete and unaltered, which is really important in research and communication at schools.

5. Overall Security: Using encryption in school networks greatly lowers the chances of unauthorized access to data. A study from 2020 showed that 92% of organizations use encryption as a main way to protect their information.

By using strong encryption techniques, schools can keep their data more private, safe, and accessible, helping to create a better learning environment.