PEP is an acronym for "Polymorphic Encryption and Pseudonymization", which hints at its [features](#features), and at the technology on which it is based. Functionally, PEP is software for the storage and retrieval of tabular data. PEP's storage consists of a single table. This rather limited data structure is offset by some features that run-of-the-mill database systems do not normally provide:
PEP is an acronym for "Polymorphic Encryption and Pseudonymization", which hints at its [features](#features), and at the technology on which it is based. Functionally, PEP is software for the storage and retrieval of tabular data. PEP's storage consists of a single table. This rather limited data structure is offset by some features that run-of-the-mill database systems do not normally provide:
- PEP [encrypts](#encryption) data both [at rest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_at_rest#Encryption) and in transit, effectively providing [end-to-end encryption](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-to-end_encryption) between the data's uploader(s) and downloader(s).
- PEP [encrypts](#encryption) data both [at rest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_at_rest#Encryption) and in transit, effectively providing [end-to-end encryption](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-to-end_encryption) between the data's uploader(s) and downloader(s).
- PEP [ensures](#trust_reduction) that no single server or administrator or hosting party can access the data (or provide access to it) by themselves.
- PEP [ensures](#trust-reduction) that no single server or administrator or hosting party can access the data (or provide access to it) by themselves.
- PEP [contravenes data blending](#pseudonymization), preventing data from multiple downloaders from being combined into a larger data set.
- PEP [contravenes data blending](#pseudonymization), preventing data from multiple downloaders from being combined into a larger data set.
- PEP [keeps previous data](#retention) versions available after a cell's contents are overwritten.
- PEP [keeps previous data](#retention) versions available after a cell's contents are overwritten.
