What is the practice of creating secure communication systems?

• A. Cryptology
• B. Cryptography
• C. Cryptanalysis
• D. Kerckhoffs's Principle

Answer: (B)

Cryptography. It focuses on designing encryption algorithms, key management, and secure protocols to protect information and enable trusted communication. The goal is to ensure confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation so that only authorized parties can read and verify messages. Cryptography is the field dedicated to building these protections; cryptanalysis is the study of breaking them, and Kerckhoffs's Principle is a guideline about system design—security should not rely on the secrecy of the algorithm. Some use cryptology to refer to the broader discipline that includes both creating and breaking codes, but the term that best fits “the practice of creating secure communication systems” is cryptography.