___ is the process of converting an encrypted text back to a plain and meaningful text:

Decryption is the process of converting encrypted text (ciphertext) back into its original, meaningful, and readable form, known as plaintext. Encryption is used to protect information by transforming readable data into an unreadable format, while decryption reverses this process. Decryption generally requires a key or other authorized method to restore the original information. For example, when a secure message is encrypted before transmission, the intended recipient can use the appropriate decryption key to convert the encrypted message back into readable text. Therefore, the correct answer is Decryption.