AES

AES, or Advanced Encryption Standard, is a symmetric encryption algorithm developed to secure sensitive data efficiently and reliably. Established by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2001, AES became the standard for data encryption, replacing the older DES (Data Encryption Standard) due to its higher level of security.

AES operates by encrypting data in fixed 128-bit blocks, which are transformed through multiple rounds of complex operations, depending on the key size. It supports key lengths of 128, 192, or 256 bits, with each key size determining the number of transformation rounds: 10 for 128-bit, 12 for 192-bit, and 14 for 256-bit keys. The larger the key, the more secure the encryption, though it also requires more processing power.

As a symmetric algorithm, AES uses the same key for both encryption and decryption, which makes it efficient but requires secure key management. Its versatility and security make AES widely adopted in various fields, from government and military applications to personal data protection, online banking, VPNs, and securing wireless networks (e.g., WPA2). Due to its robustness, AES remains a preferred choice for safeguarding data against unauthorized access.