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Encryption has found a place in todays digital world, by cultivating a culture of security and privacy. When the AES Encryption algorithm succeeded the Data Encryption Standard as the global standard for encryption algorithms in 2001, it fixed many shortcomings of its predecessor. It was seen as the future for encryption in daily life applications. So far, the Advanced Encryption Standard has achieved the targets placed during its inception. And it has a long way to grow.

When the Data Encryption Standard algorithm, also known as the DES algorithm, was formed and standardized, it made sense for that generation of computers. Going by todays computational standards, breaking into the DES algorithm became easier and faster with every year, as seen in the image below.

A more robust algorithm was the need of the hour, with longer key sizes and stronger ciphers to break into. They created the triple DES to fix this problem, but it never became mainstream because of its relatively slower pace. Thus, the Advanced Encryption Standard came into existence to overcome this drawback.

The AES Encryption algorithm (also known as the Rijndael algorithm) is a symmetric block cipher algorithm with a block/chunk size of 128 bits. It converts these individual blocks using keys of 128, 192, and 256 bits. Once it encrypts these blocks, it joins them together to form the ciphertext.

It is based on a substitution-permutation network, also known as an SP network. It consists of a series of linked operations, including replacing inputs with specific outputs (substitutions) and others involving bit shuffling (permutations).

In this tutorial, you will go through some of the standout features that AES offers as a globally standardized encryption algorithm.

To understand the way AES works, you first need to learn how it transmits information between multiple steps. Since a single block is 16 bytes, a 4x4 matrix holds the data in a single block, with each cell holding a single byte of information.

The matrix shown in the image above is known as a state array. Similarly, the key being used initially is expanded into (n+1) keys, with n being the number of rounds to be followed in the encryption process. So for a 128-bit key, the number of rounds is 16, with no. of keys to be generated being 10+1, which is a total of 11 keys.

The mentioned steps are to be followed for every block sequentially. Upon successfully encrypting the individual blocks, it joins them together to form the final ciphertext. The steps are as follows:

Now that you understand the basic steps needed to go through the encryption procedure, understand this example to follow along.

As you can see in the image above, the plaintext and encryption convert keys to hex format before the operations begin. Accordingly, you can generate the keys for the next ten rounds, as you can see below.

You need to follow the same steps explained above, sequentially extracting the state array and passing it off as input to the next round. The steps are as follows:

This state array is now the final ciphertext for this particular round. This becomes the input for the next round. Depending on the key length, you repeat the above steps until you complete round 10, after which you receive the final ciphertext.

Now that you understand how AES works, go through some of the applications of this encryption algorithm.

The applications of the AES Encryption algorithm are as follows:

Now that you learned about the applications of AES encryption, take a look at its upgrades over its predecessor, the DES encryption algorithm.

Key Length - 56 bits

Key Length - 128, 192, 256 bits

Block Size - 64 bits

Block size - 128 bits

Fixed no. of rounds

No. of rounds dependent on key length

Slower and less secure

Faster and more secure

AES encryption is secure; however, its security varies according to its variants. For example, using brute-force methods, the 256-bit is virtually impenetrable, while the 52-bit DES key can be cracked in less than a day.

Because of its key length options, AES encryption remains the best choice for securing communications. The time required to crack an encryption algorithm is directly related to the length of the key used, i.e., 128-bit, 192-bit, and 256-bit.

AES is implemented in hardware and software worldwide to encrypt sensitive data. It is a symmetric block cipher essential for government computer security, electronic data protection, and cybersecurity.

RSA is considerably slower and more computationally intensive than AES. RSA has to deal with large numbers and calculations, which makes it slower. AES is considered secure against analysis with quantum computers and is generally used by various organizations.

AES is available for free, and anyone can use it. Though several countries apply export restrictions, it is an open standard that is free to use for any private, public, non-commercial, or commercial use.

Advanced Encryption Standard is a symmetric block cipher chosen by the US government. It converts the individual blocks using different keys. It is one of the best encryption protocols available, letting anyone enjoy their daily online activities without disruption.

With this, you have seen the impact AES Encryption has on the global stage, with many systems needing a secure channel of authentication as DES collapsed. With many bases to cover in cybersecurity, cryptography is one of the most crucial aspects, even though several other topics are essential to excel as a cybersecurity expert. To gain comprehensive knowledge and skills, consider enrolling in cyber security training online and the best cyber security bootcamps, which cover a wide range of crucial topics in the field.

Simplilearn offers a Cybersecurity Expert course designed to equip you with all the skills necessary to start or promote your career in cybersecurity. It doesnt have any academic pre-requirements, and the introductory module will prepare beginners for the course ahead. Training for highly sought-after certifications like CompTIA Security+, CEH, CISM, and CISSP is at the forefront of this course, preparing you for the best jobs being offered in the industry.

This tutorial explores the need for AES Encryption, its origin and process of encryption, all the way up to its applications, and a direct comparison with the DES algorithm. Hope this tutorial has been of value to you.

If you are looking to learn further on encryptions, cryptography and other fundamental concepts and skills in cybersecurity, Simplilearns Advanced Executive Program In Cyber Security program should be a great fit for you. This program covers all the fundamental and advanced aspects of cybersecurity and provides you the right job-ready training you need to become a world-class cybersecurity expert today. Explore the program today.

Do you have any questions for us regarding this AES encryption tutorial? Please dont hesitate to mention them in the comment section of this tutorial, and wed be happy to have our experts answer them for you.

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AES Encryption: Secure Data with Advanced Encryption Standard - Simplilearn