What Is The Full Form Of DES?
The full form of DES is Data Encryption Standard.
DES is a cryptographic symmetric-key algorithm that encrypts digital data. Even though the short key length (56 bits) makes DES too insecure for any application- it is still very influential in advancing cryptography. It encrypts and decrypts data using a single key (symmetric key algorithm). It carries out encryption by dividing the available data into smaller chunks (64 bits). It then uses the encryption algorithm with a 56-bit key to encrypt the 64-bit cipher.
New encryption techniques have emerged over the years. Due to an increase in better brute-force attacks, DES has become very vulnerable. The new and better techniques helped users overcome this vulnerability. And thus, the successors of this algorithm emerged. For example, G-DES, DES-X, Triple DES, LOKI89, etc.
History of DES
- The US government computer security’s National Bureau of Standards study needed a government-wide standard in 1972 for encrypting unclassified, sensitive information. That’s when DES originated.
- IBM developers designed it in the early 1970s and published it in 1976 as the official FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) for the United States.
Characteristics of DES
- It uses the symmetric-key algorithm.
- The 56-bit key is the same for both decryption and encryption, created around permutations- which was very difficult to develop initially.
- The DES algorithm uses substitution cipher as well as the transportation cipher techniques.
- It was very efficient for hardware. It was also originally developed in 1970 for hardware.
Cryptanalysis and Security
- A lot of info has been posted regarding the cryptanalysis of DES as compared to other block ciphers. But the only best practical attack till now is the brute-force.
- We are aware of various minor properties of cryptanalysis. Three attacks are possible (theoretical).
- The three attacks are theoretically less complex than the brute-force attack. Yet, carrying them out requires an unrealistic number of chosen or known plaintext. Thus, they aren’t a concern in practice.
Advantages of DES
- It uses the symmetric-key algorithm. Thus, it is possible to perform encryption and decryption by a single key with the same algorithm.
- The developers designed this algorithm for hardware and not software. Thus, DES is more efficient in hardware. They show a higher and faster implementation.
Disadvantages of DES
- The security that DES provides is of a low level. The brute-force attack can feasibly devastate it with its 56-bit key.
- The DES algorithm has lower efficiency with software. It only runs well in hardware, and its software implementation is very slow.
- It does not provide a solution to the linear cryptanalysis because the problem started arriving way after the invention of DES.
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