Which safety measure ensures that only authorized parties can read encoded messages?

The safety measure that ensures that only authorized parties can read encoded messages is encryption. Encryption is a process that transforms information into a code to prevent unauthorized access. It uses algorithms to encode data in such a way that only individuals or systems that possess the appropriate decryption key can access the original content. This ensures confidentiality, as the information remains unreadable to those without authorization.

While firewalls serve to block unauthorized access to networks and systems, and authentication verifies the identity of users or devices, they do not directly encode messages to protect their content. Access control involves policies that govern who can view or use resources, but it does not provide the encoding necessary to secure messages in transit or storage. Hence, encryption specifically addresses the need for confidentiality by ensuring that only those with the correct keys can decrypt and read the messages.