# Link encryption

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Link_encryption
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Link_encryption.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_encryption
> Source revision: 1290334450
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Encryption of network traffic for security}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2023}}
'''Link encryption''' is an approach to [communications security](/source/communications_security) that [encrypts](/source/encryption) and decrypts all [network traffic](/source/network_traffic) at each network routing point (e.g. [network switch](/source/network_switch), or node through which it passes) until arrival at its final destination. This repeated decryption and encryption is necessary to allow the routing information contained in each transmission to be read and employed further to direct the transmission toward its destination, before which it is re-encrypted. This contrasts with '''[end-to-end encryption](/source/end-to-end_encryption)''' where internal information, but not the header/routing information, is encrypted by the sender at the point of origin and only decrypted by the intended recipient.

Link encryption offers two main advantages:<ref>{{Cite web |title=What does Link Encryption mean? {{!}} Security Encyclopedia |url=https://www.hypr.com/security-encyclopedia/link-encryption |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=www.hypr.com |language=en}}</ref>
* encryption is automatic so there is less opportunity for [human error](/source/human_error).
* if the communications link operates continuously and carries an unvarying level of traffic, link encryption defeats [traffic analysis](/source/traffic_analysis).

On the other hand, end-to-end encryption ensures only the intended recipient has access to the [plaintext](/source/plaintext). Link encryption can be used with end-to-end systems by [superencrypting](/source/superencryption) the messages. '''Bulk encryption''' refers to encrypting a large number of circuits at once, after they have been [multiplexed](/source/multiplexing).

==References==
<references />

Category:Cryptography

{{crypto-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Link encryption](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_encryption) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_encryption?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.