Encrypted, as a message, is a term used to describe a form of communication in which the content is obscured or hidden from view. This is done by using a code or cipher, which is a set of instructions for transforming plain text into an unreadable form. Coded is a five-letter synonym for encrypted, and is also used to refer to the process of encoding information. Encryption is commonly used to protect sensitive data, such as financial information, from unauthorized access.