What characterizes plain text in the context of encryption?

Plain text is characterized as the human-readable form of data. It refers to any text that is not encrypted and can be read by anyone without the need for any decoding or special processing. In the context of encryption, plain text is the original message that is input into an encryption algorithm to produce ciphertext, which is the masked version of the message designed to protect its confidentiality.

The nature of plain text allows it to include various types of characters, including letters, numbers, and symbols, making it accessible and understandable to humans. When discussing encryption, understanding plain text is crucial because it serves as the starting point before any protective measures, such as encryption, are applied.