What is a key characteristic of encryption compared to tokenization?

A key characteristic of encryption is that it can be decrypted to retrieve the original data. This means that encryption uses algorithms and keys to transform the readable data into an unreadable format, and the same process can be reversed using the correct key, allowing for data to be restored to its original form. This is essential in scenarios where data protection is needed while maintaining the ability to access the data later.

Encryption serves various purposes, such as ensuring data confidentiality during transmission or storage, where legitimate users can access the original information after decrypting it with the appropriate key. This characteristic is fundamental to the concept of encryption, differentiating it from techniques like tokenization, which specifically replaces sensitive data with non-sensitive equivalents and does not inherently allow for reversible recovery of the original data without additional mappings.

In contrast to the other options, tokenization's primary function is to enhance security by substituting original data with a random string or token, making it less about restoration and more about safeguarding sensitive data.