Symmetric Encryption: All you need to know

Introduction

The importance of the protection of data and authorization of access to the data is one of the most alarming concerns present in the world. The world has now started worrying about the protection of data because the financial part of the business is now at stake. The wrong axis to the data can lead a business to lose a lot of money and even cause bankruptcy. Hence encryption is one of the most vital processes which helps in the protection of data and narrows the access of data selectively.

Latest talks about some of the important facts about symmetric encryption including its advantages and disadvantages consideration of symmetric encryption, symmetric encryption examples, and all the other detailed information about it. 

1. What is Symmetric key Encryption?
2. Algorithms of Symmetric Key Encryption
3. Uses of Symmetric Key Encryption
4. Consideration in Symmetric Key Encryption

1. What is Symmetric Key Encryption?

Symmetric encryption is also known as symmetric cryptography.  Want to know what is symmetric encryption? It is simplified for you here. The symmetric encryption of data is the type of encryption where there is only one key used for both the receiver and the sender while exchanging electronic information. Symmetric encryption can also be understood as a simple lock that has one key to get unlocked and hence, you can better define Symmetric encryptions. There are no special keys for different entities to unlock to have access to the data.

So Symmetric encryptions use how many keys? Hence the entities who are involved in the symmetric encryption process mandatorily have to share the case so that the decryption of the data can be done.

2. Algorithms of Symmetric Key Encryption

There are numerous algorithms of symmetric key encryption and there are both advantages of Symmetric encryption and cons of the process. But in this part we bring you five major algorithms of symmetric key encryption which are mentioned as follows:

• DES: DES is the abbreviation of the data encryption standard. It originally came into existence in the united Android 76 and has been one of the most popularly used symmetric key encryption algorithms. This can also be possible because it was adopted as the standard algorithm of symmetric encryption by the government. The algorithm is quite strong but it can only be weak because it uses a 56-bit key. Back in the day, DES happen to be difficult to run but today with faster computers it is only a matter of a day to run all the combinations and hence it is one of the most popularly used examples of Symmetric encryption algorithms of the symmetric key.
• 3DES: 3DES is also referred to as triple DES. To every block of data, the algorithm of normal DES applies three times in this algorithm. This is another secure form of encryption of data where the data remains protected. Hence, here is the answer to how does Symmetric encryptions work to protect files. The best way to use it is by using a different case for every iteration. Hence this is how Symmetric encryptions work.
• AES: AES is the abbreviation for advanced encryption standards. This algorithm is also known as the Rijndael algorithm. The government chose this algorithm to be the advanced standard symmetric key encryption algorithm. It is quite fast and the most secure algorithm because its global uptake also kept ascending since it came into existence.
• IDEA: IDEA stands for the international data Symmetric encryptions uses. It came into existence as one of the replacements of DES. It uses a 128-bit key for encryption. But it is not one of the widely used algorithms and there are 2 reasons behind it. The first is the impact of the range of not-so-strong keys and the second reason behind it is some algorithms are faster than this.
• RC4: RC4 is a simple and easy-to-implement Symmetric encryption scheme but it can also lead to a system of weak encryption which is not welcomed at all. It is used in the WP wireless networks.
• RC5: RC5: the most secure symmetric encryption meaning process where the owners were so sure of the security provided that they announced a reward for anyone who could break the encryption.

3. Uses of Symmetric Key Encryption

Symmetric key encryption is known to be one of the oldest methods of encryption which is faster and quite efficient than asymmetric encryption but both of them have their own set of pros and cons. The symmetric encryption example shows a lot of performance issues due to the data size. The symmetric key cryptography is used for the encryption of a huge amount of data or the encryption of a database.

In such cases, there is no requirement of establishing communication for having a public and private key because the only secret key might be available for the database itself so that the information can be decrypted or encrypted easily. Here are some of the uses of symmetric cryptography:

Symmetric key encryptions algorithm is one of the most used processes for the applications of payment such as in card transactions where the information provided by the user needs to be protected to its best so that there are no cases of fraudulent charges or theft of Identity.

4. Consideration in Symmetric Key Encryption

Like every other thing, symmetric encryption also comes up with its own set of pros and drawbacks. So in this part of the article, we will discuss a few considerations to be made for the disadvantages of symmetric encryption

• Symmetric encryption suffers from one of the most annoying behaviors which has its option for leaking up some information that can be initiated by and potential attacker to reconstruct the secret key. Hence the most prominent way of saving the theft of data like this is to ensure that there is no overuse of the key. There should be a rotation of keys that the data can be encrypted in large. Both of these solutions can help protect the data from being tractable bye by a potential attacker a hacker.
• The symmetric key encryption cannot record essential information like those of access control lists or expiry dates which is another serious issue.
• The management of the key of symmetric encryption definition can also be done manually because the algorithm becomes quite impractical and week to be implemented by the business organizations.

Final words:

Hence, this was all about what is symmetric key encryption, symmetric encryption types and how does Symmetric encryptions work. 

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Also, Read

• Public Key Cryptography: All You Need To Know