Encryption

Encryption is the process of encoding a message or information using an algorithm - a cipher - in such a way that only someone with the appropriate key may access it (link for more information on encryption). Encryption is mentioned by the GDPR as one of the measures to mitigate privacy and security risks (Recital 83).

Losing an encryption key or password equals losing your data, as encrypted data can not be decrypted without the key (that is the whole idea of proper data encryption). Therefore, it is strongly advised to keep a secure backup of keys/passwords that other team members can have access to in unexpected circumstances.