If you go to Wikipedia and look up "encryption modes," the first link will be a link to Wikipedia.
If you're logging on, for example, to TrueCrypt in a full-drive encryption mode, then you're not on the 'Net at that point.
Many specialized authenticated encryption modes have been developed for use with symmetric block ciphers.
In 2013 a competition has been announced to encourage design of authenticated encryption modes.
Note that neither of the two encryption modes uses the user-specified password as any part of the key for the encryption.
Since the encryption mode is chosen by the base station, the IMSI-catcher can induce the mobile station to use no encryption at all.
Historically, encryption modes have been studied extensively in regard to their error propagation properties under various scenarios of data modification.
Some modern modes of operation combine confidentiality and authenticity in an efficient way, and are known as authenticated encryption modes.
The simplest of the encryption modes is the electronic codebook (ECB) mode.
Authenticated encryption modes are classified as single pass modes or double pass modes.