Definition
Data in transit, also known as data in motion, refers to information that is being sent or received across a network. This data travels from its source to its destination, traversing various network devices and pathways. Protecting data in transit is crucial because it is vulnerable to interception and unauthorized access while in motion. For instance, when you send an email or access a website, the data exchanged between your device and the server is considered data in transit. It is important to distinguish this from data at rest, which is stored on a device or server, and data in use, which is actively being processed by an application. Understanding data in transit is fundamental for cybersecurity professionals and appears on certifications like CompTIA Security+, CySA+, and CISSP.