What happens if I compress encrypted files?

What happens if I compress encrypted files?

When you compress encrypted files, the compression algorithm treats the encrypted data as random data, which usually results in little to no size reduction.

So, does that mean I shouldn't compress them?

Not necessarily. If the files are already encrypted, compressing them may not be effective, but it won't harm the files either.

Are there any specific cases where compressing encrypted files is beneficial?

In some cases, if the encryption method used has patterns or redundancy, compression might still yield some size reduction, but it's rare.

What about the security of the files after compression?

The security remains intact. Compression does not decrypt the files; it just changes their format temporarily.