AES 128-bit Encryption | IDERA (2024)

FAQs

What is 128-bit AES encryption? ›

The AES Encryption algorithm (also known as the Rijndael algorithm) is a symmetric block cipher algorithm with a block/chunk size of 128 bits. It converts these individual blocks using keys of 128, 192, and 256 bits. Once it encrypts these blocks, it joins them together to form the ciphertext.

128-bit and 256-bit AES both have their pros and cons. AES-128 is faster and more efficient and less likely to have a full attack developed against it (due to a stronger key schedule). AES-256 is more resistant to brute force attacks and is only weak against related key attacks (which should never happen anyway).

Both of these encryption types use 128-bit blocks, but AES-256 uses double that of AES-128. On top of this, while AES-128 uses 10 rounds of processing to create keys, AES-256 uses 14 rounds. Overall, AES-128 and AES-256 encryption are pretty similar in how they function, and have very similar encryption algorithms.

The EE Times points out that even using a supercomputer, a “brute force” attack would take one billion years to crack AES 128-bit encryption.

A machine that can crack a DES key in a second would take 149 trillion years to crack a 128-bit AES key. Hence, it is safe to say that AES-128 encryption is safe against brute-force attacks. AES has never been cracked yet and it would take large amounts of computational power to crack this key.

There have been no confirmed instances of AES 256-bit encryption being successfully cracked through brute-force attacks or any other techniques. 256-bit encryption would not be considered to be one of the most secure encryption methods if it had been cracked.

The bottom line is that if AES could be compromised, the world would come to a standstill. The difference between cracking the AES-128 algorithm and AES-256 algorithm is considered minimal. Whatever breakthrough might crack 128-bit will probably also crack 256-bit.

Drawbacks or disadvantages of AES

➨It uses too simple algebraic structure. ➨Every block is always encrypted in the same way. ➨Hard to implement with software. ➨AES in counter mode is complex to implement in software taking both performance and security into considerations.

AES has been the standard for symmetric encryption for the last few decades, and is still widely used today for its secure encryption capabilities. AES is fast and secure, making it a popular choice for encrypting files and other sensitive data.

AES-256 is the strongest encryption key, but it requires much more processing power, time and resources to execute than AES-128. To secure top-secret government files, AES-256 is the clear choice. But if the goal is to secure an app on a smartphone, for example, AES-128 may be more appropriate.

What are the advantages of AES 128? ›

The main benefit of AES lies in its key length options. The time required to crack an encryption algorithm is directly related to the length of the key used to secure the communication -- 128-bit, 192-bit or 256-bit keys. Therefore, AES is exponentially stronger than the 56-bit key of DES.

Originally adopted by the federal government, AES encryption has become the industry standard for data security. AES comes in 128-bit, 192-bit, and 256-bit implementations, with AES 256 being the most secure.

While governments constantly seek new capabilities, properly implemented AES encryption remains uncrackable by today's computational resources. AES itself is not something the government can "crack." But vigilance is always needed to ensure no implementation flaws could be exploited.

According to the Snowden documents, the NSA is doing research on whether a cryptographic attack based on tau statistic may help to break AES. At present, there is no known practical attack that would allow someone without knowledge of the key to read data encrypted by AES when correctly implemented.

AES-256 is unbreakable by brute force

It is the strongest encryption and is almost impossible to break. A brute force attack is when a hacker checks different key combinations until he/she arrives at the correct combination. The larger the key size, the more difficult it becomes to break the encryption.

The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is an algorithm that uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt protected data. Instead of a single round of encryption, data is put through several rounds of substitution, transposition, and mixing to make it harder to compromise.

The three AES varieties are also distinguished by the number of rounds of encryption. AES 128 uses 10 rounds, AES 192 uses 12 rounds, and AES 256 uses 14 rounds. The more rounds, the more complex the encryption, making AES 256 the most secure AES implementation.

From the 'File' menu in the toolbar, select 'Properties'. "Connection" with "SSL 3.0, RC4 with 128-bits encryption (High); RSA with 1024 bit exchange" is shown if you are connected using 128 Bit SSL.