What provides the protection or security for Elliptic Curve encryption?

The fact that there are no known shortcuts for finding the prime factors of numbers.

The fact that the MOD function is a one$-$way function.

The fact that calculating the number of hops to move between two points on a curve defined by the equation $y^2=x^3+ax+b$ is a time$-$consuming process. $($Assuming "good" values for a and $b$ are used.$)$

None of the above