The primary purpose of encryption is to secure data by translating it into code. This process transforms readable information into a format that can only be understood by someone who has the correct decryption key. By doing so, encryption protects sensitive data from unauthorized access and ensures confidentiality, making it crucial for safeguarding personal, financial, and proprietary information in various applications, such as online transactions, communications, and data storage.
The other options do not accurately reflect the function of encryption. Increasing file size for storage does not relate to the purpose of encryption, as encryption typically results in a slight increase in size but is not intended to manage storage capacity. Speeding up data retrieval is also not associated with encryption, which can actually introduce some processing overhead due to the need to encrypt and decrypt data. Enhancing network efficiency is unrelated to encryption as well since its main role is ensuring data security, rather than optimizing network performance.