{"id":2058,"date":"2011-11-10T14:00:16","date_gmt":"2011-11-10T14:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/advanced-encryption-standard\/"},"modified":"2024-09-26T14:28:42","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T14:28:42","slug":"advanced-encryption-standard","status":"publish","type":"definition","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/1763\/advanced-encryption-standard-aes","title":{"rendered":"Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span id=\"what_is_the_advanced_encryption_standard_aes\">What is the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is an open source <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/16064\/block-cipher\">block cipher<\/a> that uses <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/1789\/symmetric-encryption\">symmetric encryption<\/a> to transform sensitive information into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/6472\/cipher\">ciphertext<\/a>. The same <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/24865\/secret-key\">secret key<\/a> is used for both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/5507\/encryption\">encryption<\/a> (plaintext to ciphertext) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/1773\/decryption\">decryption<\/a> (ciphertext back to plaintext).<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/What-is-the-Advanced-Encryption-Standard-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"What is the Advanced Encryption Standard\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-321034\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/What-is-the-Advanced-Encryption-Standard-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/What-is-the-Advanced-Encryption-Standard-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/What-is-the-Advanced-Encryption-Standard-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/What-is-the-Advanced-Encryption-Standard-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/What-is-the-Advanced-Encryption-Standard-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/What-is-the-Advanced-Encryption-Standard-1980x1321.jpg 1980w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/What-is-the-Advanced-Encryption-Standard.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#dddddd;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#f7f7f7;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">\n<h2><span id=\"key_takeaways\">Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>AES encrypts sensitive information iteratively.<\/li>\n<li>When implemented correctly, AES is one of the most secure encryption standards.<\/li>\n<li>AES uses symmetric encryption, which means the same secret key that is used to encrypt data is also used to decrypt it.<\/li>\n<li>AES supports <strong>key lengths of 128, 192, or 256 bits<\/strong> to provide security engineers with flexibility.<\/li>\n<li>Most transactions today are protected by keys with 128 bits because they offer a good balance of security and performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div>\n    <section class=\"toc-sticky w-100 bg-white \">\n        <div class=\"toc-sticky__container container\">\n            <div class=\"toc-sticky__open d-flex align-items-end\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\"\n                 aria-controls=\"multiCollapse1\"\n                 data-bs-target=\"#multiCollapse1\">\n                <button\n                        class=\"btn btn-primary collapse-action-btn p-1 rounded-circle\"\n                        type=\"button\"\n                >\n                    <i class=\"icon-chevron-up\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <span id=\"toc-current-title\" class=\"d-flex align-items-center\">\n                    Table of Contents\n                <\/span>\n                <span class=\"toc-main-title-permanent\">Table of Contents<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <div\n                    class=\"collapse my-3\"\n                    id=\"multiCollapse1\"\n            >\n                <ol class=\"StepProgress\">\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item current\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"what_is_the_advanced_encryption_standard_aes\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"what_is_the_advanced_encryption_standard_aes\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">What is the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)?<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"key_takeaways\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"key_takeaways\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Key Takeaways<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"why_aes_is_the_gold_standard_for_encryption\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"why_aes_is_the_gold_standard_for_encryption\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Why AES is the Gold Standard for Encryption<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"how_advanced_encryption_standard_works\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"how_advanced_encryption_standard_works\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">How Advanced Encryption Standard Works<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"advantages_and_disadvantages_of_aes_encryption\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"advantages_and_disadvantages_of_aes_encryption\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Advantages and Disadvantages of AES Encryption<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"aes_use_cases\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"aes_use_cases\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">AES Use Cases<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"aes_security\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"aes_security\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">AES Security<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"attacks_on_aes_encryption\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"attacks_on_aes_encryption\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Attacks on AES Encryption<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"five_tips_to_prevent_attacks_on_aes_encryption\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"five_tips_to_prevent_attacks_on_aes_encryption\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Five Tips to Prevent Attacks on AES Encryption<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"how_does_aes_compare_to_other_encryption\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"how_does_aes_compare_to_other_encryption\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">How Does AES Compare to Other Encryption?<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"the_bottom_line\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"the_bottom_line\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">The Bottom Line<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"faqs\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"faqs\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">FAQs<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"references\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"references\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">References<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                    <\/ol>\n                <div class=\"toc-sticky__container__disperse\"><\/div>\n                <div class=\"toc-sticky__btn-top justify-content-center\">\n                    <button class=\"btn btn-link d-flex align-items-center\" onclick={btnTop()}><p>Show Full Guide<\/p><img decoding=\"async\"\n                                src=\"\/wp-content\/plugins\/table-of-contents\/assets\/images\/arrow-up-circle.svg\"\n                                alt=\"arrow-up-circle\">\n                    <\/button>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n    <div class=\"toc-sticky-list\">\n        <div class=\"toc-sticky__container container\">\n            <div class=\"toc-sticky__open d-flex align-items-end\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" aria-controls=\"multiCollapse2\" data-bs-target=\"#multiCollapse2\">\n                <button class=\"btn btn-primary collapse-action-btn p-1 rounded-circle\"\n                        type=\"button\">\n                    <i class=\"icon-chevron-up up\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <span id=\"toc-current-title\" class=\"d-flex align-items-center\">\n                    Table of Contents\n                <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <div  class=\"collapse my-3\" id=\"multiCollapse2\">\n                <ol class=\"StepProgress\">\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item current \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"what_is_the_advanced_encryption_standard_aes\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"what_is_the_advanced_encryption_standard_aes\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">What is the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)?<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"key_takeaways\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"key_takeaways\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Key Takeaways<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"why_aes_is_the_gold_standard_for_encryption\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"why_aes_is_the_gold_standard_for_encryption\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Why AES is the Gold Standard for Encryption<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <span class=\"show_moretoc\">Show Full Guide<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"how_advanced_encryption_standard_works\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"how_advanced_encryption_standard_works\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">How Advanced Encryption Standard Works<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"advantages_and_disadvantages_of_aes_encryption\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"advantages_and_disadvantages_of_aes_encryption\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Advantages and Disadvantages of AES Encryption<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"aes_use_cases\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"aes_use_cases\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">AES Use Cases<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"aes_security\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"aes_security\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">AES Security<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"attacks_on_aes_encryption\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"attacks_on_aes_encryption\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Attacks on AES Encryption<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"five_tips_to_prevent_attacks_on_aes_encryption\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"five_tips_to_prevent_attacks_on_aes_encryption\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Five Tips to Prevent Attacks on AES Encryption<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"how_does_aes_compare_to_other_encryption\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"how_does_aes_compare_to_other_encryption\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">How Does AES Compare to Other Encryption?<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"the_bottom_line\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"the_bottom_line\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">The Bottom Line<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"faqs\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"faqs\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">FAQs<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"references\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"references\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">References<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                         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pageLegendCollapse);\n\tjQuery('span.show_moretoc').click(function(){\n\t\tjQuery('span.show_moretoc').hide();\n\t   jQuery('.ms_hidetoc').show();\n\t});\n    });\n\n    \/\/ When the user clicks on the button, scroll to the top of the document\n    function btnTop() {\n        const pageLegend = document.querySelector('#multiCollapse1');\n        document.querySelector('html').classList.remove('overflow-hidden');\n        pageLegend.classList.remove('overflow-auto');\n        pageLegend.style.height = 'auto';\n        window.scrollTo({\n            top: 0,\n            behavior: 'smooth'\n        });\n    }\n\n    const handleScrollToTitle = (id) => {\n        const el = document.getElementById(id);\n        const headerHeightDifference = window.innerWidth < 992 ? -30 : -15;\n        window.scrollTo({\n            top: el.offsetTop - 60 - headerHeightDifference - 10,\n        });\n    }\n<\/script>\n\n<h2><span id=\"why_aes_is_the_gold_standard_for_encryption\">Why AES is the Gold Standard for Encryption<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In 1997, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/4509\/national-institute-of-standards-and-technology-nist\">National Institute of Standards and Technology<\/a> (NIST) issued a public call for proposals to replace the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/1772\/data-encryption-standard-des\">Data Encryption Standard<\/a> (DES), which had become vulnerable to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/18091\/brute-force-attack\">brute-force attacks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Five finalists were selected out of 15 initial submissions: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/28000\/rc6\">RC6<\/a>, MARS, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cl.cam.ac.uk\/~rja14\/serpent.html\" target=\"_blank\">Serpent<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/nordvpn.com\/blog\/what-is-twofish-encryption\/\" target=\"_blank\">Twofish<\/a>, and Rijndael. NIST officially announced that Rijndael would be the new standard for encryption in 2001<strong>. <\/strong>As part of the standardization process, the Rijndael algorithm was formally renamed &#8220;Advanced Encryption Standard&#8221; to reflect its new status as an international standard.<\/p>\n<p>AES&#8217;s design <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/3821\/iteration\">iterates<\/a> complex mathematical transformations (substitution, permutation, mixing, and key addition) multiple times, making it highly resistant to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/1769\/cryptanalysis\">cryptanalysis<\/a> attacks. AES is considered to be the gold standard because over the last two decades, the Advanced Encryption Standard has withstood extensive scrutiny from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/job-role-cryptographer\/2\/34169\">cryptographers<\/a> worldwide, and nobody has been able to break it.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"how_advanced_encryption_standard_works\">How Advanced Encryption Standard Works<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>AES starts with a single secret key that is either 128, 192, or 256 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/23954\/bit\">bits<\/a> long.<\/p>\n<p>The initial secret key is then transformed into a series of &#8217;round keys,&#8217; each of which is 128-bits. The round keys are derived iteratively from the original key by using a special key schedule algorithm. Essentially, the output of one round becomes the input of the next round, and this process continues until all rounds are completed.<\/p>\n<p>The number of rounds depends on the key size (10 rounds for 128-bit keys, 12 for 192-bit keys, and 14 for 256-bit keys). Longer keys provide stronger security, but they also require more computational resources.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"advantages_and_disadvantages_of_aes_encryption\">Advantages and Disadvantages of AES Encryption<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In addition to being highly secure, the Advanced Encryption Standard is flexible. Since each block is encrypted independently, the process can be easily parallelized across multiple <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/28254\/processor\">processors<\/a>, which can significantly speed up encryption for large <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/3348\/data-set-ibm-mainframe\">data sets<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Another advantage is that AES can be used with different modes of operation (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/11162\/cipher-block-chaining-cbc\">cipher block chaining<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/csrc.nist.rip\/groups\/ST\/toolkit\/BCM\/documents\/proposedmodes\/gcm\/gcm-spec.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Galois\/Counter Mode<\/a>). This adaptability makes it suitable for a wide range of use cases.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-row\"><div class=\"su-column su-column-size-1-2\"><div class=\"su-column-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\">\n<strong>Advantages<\/strong><br \/>\n<div class=\"su-list\" style=\"margin-left:0px\">\n<ul>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Resistant to various attacks, including brute-force attacks<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Fast and efficient for both hardware and software implementations<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Supports multiple key lengths (128, 192, and 256 bits) for varying security needs<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Standardization helps encourage widespread use and interoperability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-column su-column-size-1-2 pros_icons_\"><div class=\"su-column-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\">\n<strong>Disadvantages<\/strong><br \/>\n<div class=\"su-list\" style=\"margin-left:0px\">\n<ul>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> Requires robust key management practices to prevent compromise<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> Implementations can be vulnerable to side-channel attacks<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/679\/quantum-computing\">Quantum computers<\/a> could potentially break AES in the future<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> When different modes of operation are used to handle data of arbitrary length, it can introduce complexity and potential vulnerabilities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"aes_use_cases\">AES Use Cases<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>AES is used in a wide variety of scenarios to provide data <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/25830\/cia-triad-of-information-security\">confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity<\/a> (CIA) for critical applications.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to supporting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/13623\/full-disk-encryption-fde\">full disk encryption<\/a>, the Advanced Encryption Standard is used to encrypt:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Data <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/storage\/best-cloud-storage\">stored in the cloud<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Communications between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/288\/web-browser\">web browsers<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/2282\/server\">servers<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/7192\/file-transfer\">File transfers<\/a> between systems.<\/li>\n<li>Network <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/vpn\/best-vpn\">traffic over a VPN<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Data stored on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/13731\/removable-media\">removable storage media<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Credit card transactions.<\/li>\n<li>Official government records.<\/li>\n<li>Email messages and attachments.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/31435\/password-manager\">Password manager<\/a> vaults (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/1185\/database-db\">databases<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/cryptocurrency-wallet\">Cryptocurrency wallets<\/a> and mobile <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/1776\/digital-wallet\">digital wallet<\/a> transactions.<\/li>\n<li>Data exchanged between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/the-top-5-checklist-for-internet-of-medical-things-development\">IoMT medical devices<\/a> and hospital systems.<\/li>\n<li>Communication between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/28247\/internet-of-things-iot\">Internet of Things<\/a> (IoT) devices and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/2\/cloud-computing\">cloud computing<\/a> platforms.<\/li>\n<li>Copyrighted content in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/3986\/digital-rights-management-drm\">digital rights management<\/a> systems.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/23338\/data-backup\">Data backups<\/a>, whether stored locally or in the cloud.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span id=\"aes_security\">AES Security<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>AES is highly secure when implemented properly. The strength of AES lies in its robust design, but its security can be compromised by poor implementation practices, such as improper <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/13613\/encryption-key-management\">key management<\/a>, weak <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/9091\/random-number-generator-rng\">random number generation<\/a> (RNG), or the misuse of encryption modes.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"attacks_on_aes_encryption\">Attacks on AES Encryption<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As of September 2024, there is no known type of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/24748\/cyberattack\">cyberattack<\/a> that can break AES when it&#8217;s implemented correctly. While theoretically, AES encryption could be broken with quantum computing, in the real world today AES attacks are not practical because they require an unrealistic amount of time and computational power to execute.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"five_tips_to_prevent_attacks_on_aes_encryption\">Five Tips to Prevent Attacks on AES Encryption<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/5-Tips-to-Prevent-Attacks-on-AES-Encryption-300x262.jpg\" alt=\"5 Tips to Prevent Attacks on AES Encryption\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1049\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-321041\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/5-Tips-to-Prevent-Attacks-on-AES-Encryption-300x262.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/5-Tips-to-Prevent-Attacks-on-AES-Encryption-1024x895.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/5-Tips-to-Prevent-Attacks-on-AES-Encryption-768x671.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/5-Tips-to-Prevent-Attacks-on-AES-Encryption-1536x1343.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/5-Tips-to-Prevent-Attacks-on-AES-Encryption-1200x1049.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/5-Tips-to-Prevent-Attacks-on-AES-Encryption-1980x1731.jpg 1980w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/5-Tips-to-Prevent-Attacks-on-AES-Encryption.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>While AES itself is highly secure, it needs to be implemented correctly. Here are five ways to prevent attacks on AES encryption:<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-list\" style=\"margin-left:0px\">\n<ul>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Use a random number generator to create the initial secret key<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Change encryption keys on a regular basis<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Periodically audit your AES implementation to identify <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/13484\/vulnerability\">vulnerabilities<\/a><\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Use side-channel resistant implementation techniques, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/13602\/data-masking\">masking<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/referenceworkentry\/10.1007\/978-1-4419-5906-5_182\" target=\"_blank\">blinding<\/a>, to minimize data leaks during encryption and decryption operations<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Be aware of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/top-cybersecurity-threats-and-how-to-protect-your-data\">cybersecurity threats<\/a> and new technologies that could potentially impact the long-term security of AES<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"how_does_aes_compare_to_other_encryption\">How Does AES Compare to Other Encryption?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While AES is useful for bulk encryption, it&#8217;s not the right tool for every task. For example, if you need to provide <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/4031\/nonrepudiation\">nonrepudiation<\/a>, it can be useful to compare AES with other types of encryption.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-accordion su-u-trim\">\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>AES vs. RSA<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> RSA is an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/9021\/public-key-cryptography-pkc\">asymmetric encryption<\/a> algorithm that uses different keys for encryption and decryption. RSA can provide nonrepudiation, but it is slower and computationally more intensive than AES.<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>AES vs. DES<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> AES is significantly more secure than DES (Data Encryption Standard). DES uses a 56-bit key, which is now considered too short to be secure. <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>AES-128 vs. AES-256<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/29708\/128-bit-encryption\">AES-128<\/a> offers strong protection for everyday use, but AES-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/29703\/256-bit-encryption\">256<\/a> is preferred for highly sensitive applications. The primary difference is that AES-256 undergoes 14 encryption rounds compared to 10 rounds for AES-128. <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>AES vs. ChaCha20<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/datatracker.ietf.org\/doc\/html\/rfc7539#:~:text=The%20ChaCha20%20Encryption%20Algorithm%20ChaCha20,successively%20increasing%20block%20counter%20parameters.\" target=\"_blank\">ChaCha20<\/a> is a stream cipher that encrypts data one bit or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/23955\/byte\">byte<\/a> at a time. This makes it a better choice for secure voice and video communication, where delays in encryption and decryption can significantly impact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/29135\/user-experience-ux\">user experience<\/a> (UX). <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"the_bottom_line\">The Bottom Line<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Advanced Encryption Standard, by definition, is a symmetric block cipher that iteratively encrypts data in fixed-size 128-bit blocks. The standard is useful for encrypting data in bulk and supports different key lengths choices to balance an acceptable level of encryption strength with performance concerns.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"faqs\">FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"man_faq_sec\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\"><\/time><section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is Advanced Encryption Standard in simple terms?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">AES, meaning Advanced Encryption Standard, is a symmetric encryption algorithm that NIST standardized for widespread use.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">Is AES still recommended?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Yes, AES is widely regarded as one of the most secure encryption standards for protecting sensitive data.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is better: RSA or AES?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">In general, AES is better for encrypting large amounts of data, while RSA is better suited for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/16085\/diffie-hellman-key-exchange\">secure key exchange<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/5426\/digital-signature\">digital signatures<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">\u00a0Is AES encryption secure?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Yes, AES encryption is secure if implemented correctly.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is AES encryption used for?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">AES encryption is used to convert plaintext into ciphertext.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<div class=\"reference-content\">\n<div class=\"reference-heading reference-content-collapsible-heading\">\n<h2><span id=\"references\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"reference-content-body\">\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cl.cam.ac.uk\/~rja14\/serpent.html\" target=\"_blank\">Serpent home page<\/a> (Cl.cam.ac)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nordvpn.com\/blog\/what-is-twofish-encryption\/\" target=\"_blank\">Twofish encryption: What is it and how does it work?<\/a> (Nord VPN)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/csrc.nist.rip\/groups\/ST\/toolkit\/BCM\/documents\/proposedmodes\/gcm\/gcm-spec.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">The Galois\/Counter Mode of Operation (GCM)<\/a> (Nist)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/referenceworkentry\/10.1007\/978-1-4419-5906-5_182\" target=\"_blank\">Blinding Techniques<\/a> (Springer Link)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/datatracker.ietf.org\/doc\/html\/rfc7539#:~:text=The%20ChaCha20%20Encryption%20Algorithm%20ChaCha20,successively%20increasing%20block%20counter%20parameters.\" target=\"_blank\">ChaCha20 and Poly1305 for IETF Protocols<\/a> (Datatracker IETF)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)? Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is an open source block cipher that uses symmetric encryption to transform sensitive information into ciphertext. The same secret key is used for both encryption (plaintext to ciphertext) and decryption (ciphertext back to plaintext). Why AES is the Gold Standard for Encryption In 1997, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7813,"featured_media":321028,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"definitioncat":[233],"class_list":["post-2058","definition","type-definition","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","definitioncat-encryption"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.2 (Yoast SEO v24.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What is the Advanced Encryption Standard? AES Definition &amp; Use Cases<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Advanced Encryption Standard is the gold standard for protecting sensitive data with symmetric encryption. Learn the full AES meaning here.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Advanced Encryption Standard is the gold standard for protecting sensitive data with symmetric encryption. 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