Why does the lesson warn students to perform the encryption exercises in virtual machines and only in authorized settings?

### Why this is right The lesson gives an explicit warning against using the techniques on individuals, companies, or educational institutions without authorization. It says such use may result in criminal charges and immediate expulsion, and explains that the exercises are done in virtual machines. ### The concept Security tools can be used in legitimate learning environments, but applying them to systems or people without permission can cause harm and legal consequences. A virtual machine provides an isolated environment for practice; it does not grant permission to target real systems. The authorization boundary matters as much as technical skill. ### The other options - **B. OpenSSL commands work only inside virtual machines.** The lesson does not claim this; it uses a virtual machine as a safe practice setting. - **C. A virtual machine makes encrypted files impossible to decrypt.** A virtual machine does not make encryption undecryptable. - **D. Encryption is prohibited for all educational exercises.** The lesson itself teaches authorized encryption exercises. ### Terms - **Virtual machine**: A software-based computer environment that can be isolated from the host system. - **Authorization**: Permission to perform an activity on a system or data. - **OpenSSL**: The command-line toolkit used in the lesson. ### Remember Use security tools only on systems and data you are authorized to test.