Which approach is primarily used to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information?

Encryption is a critical method for protecting sensitive information by converting data into a format that cannot be easily understood by unauthorized individuals. This process ensures that even if data is intercepted or accessed without permission, it remains unintelligible without the appropriate decryption key. By rendering the information unreadable to anyone who does not have the requisite credentials, encryption acts as a robust barrier against unauthorized access.

In addition, while risk assessment, public key infrastructure, and firewalls contribute to overall security, they serve different functions. Risk assessments identify vulnerabilities and potential threats, enabling organizations to make informed decisions about security measures. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a framework used to manage digital certificates and encryption keys, but it is not a preventive technology in itself; rather, it supports encryption and secure communications. Firewalls help control network traffic and establish a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks, but they do not directly encrypt sensitive information. Each of these plays a significant role in a security architecture, but encryption specifically focuses on encoding data to prevent unauthorized access.