# Core concepts

This page provides an introduction to the core concepts of Cipher.

## Channels

A **Cipher Channel** is a Foundry resource that is visible in the filesystem workspace. A Channel serves as the starting point to create your encryption or hashing framework. Channels describe a specific protocol for obfuscating or de-obfuscating values, including either an encryption algorithm, parameters and values for the encryption keys, or a hashing algorithm and secret.

[Learn how to create a Cipher channel.](../getting-started/index.md#create-a-cipher-channel)

![Cipher Channel](../../../assets/bcc1c38e123e37b287f07334336ce99b95570fbe18759574274981ac5089cafb.webp)

## Licenses

A **Cipher License** is a Foundry resource accessible in the filesystem workspace that controls permissions to use cryptographic operations defined in a given Cipher Channel. Each License corresponds to exactly one parent Channel. Users with access privileges which allow them to view a License can use all the Channel operations the License allows. Like other Foundry resources, a License can be moved around and shared; however, any changes will affect user accessibility for the Channel associated with the License.

[Learn how to issue a Cipher license.](../getting-started/index.md#issue-a-license)

![Cipher License](../../../assets/f00a56171f58a6c95a57dd10e18f1ec6399e7236caf678816bf73e74d26b30f8.webp)

## Cipher-encrypted values

Values encrypted with Cipher follow a format known as a *Cipher-encrypted value* which has the following syntax: `CIPHER::<channel-rid>::<encrypted-value>::CIPHER`. This format allows the Cipher service to gather the metadata needed to decrypt the value, providing the user has the right permissions.