{"id":17,"date":"2017-04-18T06:57:29","date_gmt":"2017-04-18T10:57:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/networks\/?page_id=17"},"modified":"2025-01-31T10:35:18","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T15:35:18","slug":"glossary","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/networks\/glossary\/","title":{"rendered":"Glossary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For a more detailed explanation of many of these terms, see the Explanations Page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>A<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>AES<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

AES is short for Advanced Encryption Standard<\/strong>, and it is a symmetric 128-bits (or 16 bytes)<\/strong> block cipher (A block cipher<\/strong><\/em> is a method of encrypting data in blocks to produce ciphertext using a cryptographic key and algorithm) that is widely used to encrypt the transfer of data online. It appeared commonly in VPNs, Wi-Fis, mobile applications and even programming language libraries. It takes 128-bits of a message, a file or any data that needed to be encrypted, and encrypts them into 128-bits cipher text with a key that can either be 128-bits, 192-bits or 256 bits. And more bits they key is, the more secure the data is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, AES arranges the data (plain text that is not written in code) into the a 4×4 block of bytes<\/strong>, and then it relies on substitution-permutation network<\/strong> principle to operate the data with process of key expansion, adding round key, byte substitution, shifting rows, mixing columns, rinse and repeat to generate ciphertext. Although AES requires less memory and processes encryption and decryption faster, the fact that it uses single key to encrypt and decrypt the data can create a potential gateway for hackers to intercept the key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See also Cryptography<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

References:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n