The technology often used for secure communication is encryption, which protects data by converting it into a format that is unreadable without the proper decryption key. Techniques such as SSL/TLS or PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) are commonly employed to safeguard online communications, ensuring that sensitive information remains confidential during transmission. This is critical in various applications, including email, financial transactions, and data sharing, where the integrity of information is paramount to preventing unauthorized access and maintaining trust.