What are cryptographic operations?

Cryptographic operations are processes that use mathematical algorithms to secure data and communications by ensuring confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation. These operations include encryption (transforming plaintext into ciphertext), decryption (reversing the encryption process), hashing (creating a fixed-size representation of data), and digital signing (verifying the authenticity of a message or document). They are fundamental to securing information in various applications, such as online banking, secure communications, and data storage.