AES
Integrates MAC IP to a broad range of PHY and SerDes IP
Overview
AES is a symmetric encryption algorithm that uses 128, 192, or 256-bit keys to process data in 128-bit blocks through multiple rounds of substitution, transposition, and mixing, ensuring robust security. It combines strong security, efficiency, and widespread adoption, making it a cornerstone of modern cryptography.
Features
Symmetric Encryption: AES is a symmetric key algorithm, where the identical key is employed for both encryption and decryption, simplifying key management but necessitating secure key exchange.
- Key Sizes: AES supports 128, 192, and 256-bit key sizes, offering stronger encryption with AES-256 providing the highest security level.
- Block Cipher: AES operates on 128-bit blocks, ensuring consistent data handling across various implementations during encryption and decryption.
- Rounds of Transformation: AES performs multiple rounds (10, 12, or 14 depending on the key size) of substitution, transposition, and mixing operations on data blocks, bolstering its resistance to cryptographic attacks.
- Efficiency: AES is computationally efficient and adaptable for implementation in both software and hardware, catering to diverse computing environments.
- Wide Adoption: AES is widely recommended by security experts and government agencies worldwide for securing sensitive data both in transit (e.g., HTTPS, VPNs) and at rest (e.g., file encryption).
- Resistance to Attacks: AES has undergone thorough analysis and testing for security vulnerabilities; when implemented correctly with a strong key, it withstands brute-force and other cryptographic attacks effectively.
- Standardisation: AES is standardised by NIST and widely accepted as the encryption standard for securing data across various applications and protocols.
