In the last episode we explored how all kinds of data—text, images, videos—can ultimately be reduced to binary, those long streams of 0s and 1s that computers understand (find here). But processing data is only half the story. The other half is transmission, and that’s where things get really interesting.

When information travels across a network, keeping it secure is absolutely vital. In fact, data transmission lies at the heart of most cyberattacks. Which raises a timeless question: is there a way to encrypt data so securely that it becomes impossible to decode?

Throughout history, people have tried all kinds of clever methods to conceal messages. Think of ancient symbols, secret alphabets, codes hidden in reversed writing, or letters sprinkled randomly inside words. If you’ve watched enough spy thrillers, you’ve seen these tricks in action. The problem is, none of them are truly unbreakable. With enough time, patience, and intelligence, every one of those codes can eventually be cracked. So again, is there any system that’s truly impossible to hack?