What component may experience increased load due to encryption and decryption processes?

The component that may experience increased load due to encryption and decryption processes is the CPU. This is because encryption and decryption require significant computational power to perform the mathematical operations needed to secure or access the data. When data is encrypted before it is stored or transmitted, the CPU must process this data to apply the encryption algorithm. Similarly, when the data is accessed or transferred, the CPU is responsible for decrypting it.

As a result, heavy encryption can lead to higher CPU utilization, particularly in scenarios involving large volumes of data or when using complex encryption algorithms. While memory, storage, and network components are also involved in the overall data processing workflow, they do not handle the actual encryption and decryption operations directly, making the CPU the most affected component in terms of load during these processes.