What is Data Encryption Standard (DES)?
Data Encryption Standard (DES) How does DES work ? One of the earliest symmetric-key block cipher algorithms used was the Data Encryption Standard (DES) developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 1977. Originally developed by IBM, it was approved as a U.S. federal standard for encrypting sensitive but unclassified information. This was a revolutionary step in cryptography, providing a common, secure method of encryption that could be supported in hardware and software. DES works by encrypting 64-bit data blocks with a 56-bit key through a series of transformations involving substitutions and permutations, commonly referred to as a Feistel network . DES initially had the reputation of a strong encryption algorithm, being relatively efficient and secure against known attacks, which allowed its adoption by government agencies, financial institutions, and the private sector. Its simplicity and fast speed of operation also made the algorithm good for...