Advanced encryption standard

The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a widely used symmetric encryption algorithm established by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2001. Here are the key points about AES:

1. Symmetric Key Algorithm: AES uses the same key for both encryption and decryption. This means both the sender and receiver must securely share the key.

2. Block Cipher: AES operates on fixed-size blocks of data, specifically 128 bits. If the data exceeds this size, it’s split into multiple blocks.

3. Key Lengths: AES supports key lengths of 128, 192, and 256 bits, with longer keys providing higher levels of security.

4. Rounds: The encryption process involves multiple rounds of transformation:

   • 10 rounds for 128-bit keys
   • 12 rounds for 192-bit keys
   • 14 rounds for 256-bit keys

5. Security: AES is considered very secure and is widely used in various applications, including securing sensitive data in transit and at rest. Its strength against brute-force attacks and cryptographic analysis has made it a standard in many industries.

6. Applications: AES is used in various protocols and technologies, such as SSL/TLS for secure web communications, VPNs, and file encryption tools.