Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a highly
trusted encryption algorithm used to secure data by
converting it into an unreadable format without the proper
key. It is developed by the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) in 2001. It is is widely used today as it
is much stronger than DES and triple DES despite being
harder to implement. AES encryption uses various key
lengths (128, 192, or 256 bits) to provide strong protection
against unauthorized access. This data security measure is
efficient and widely implemented in securing internet
communication, protecting sensitive data, and encrypting
files. AES, a cornerstone of modern cryptography, is
recognized globally for its ability to keep information safe
from cyber threats.
• AES is a Block Cipher.
• The key size can be 128/192/256 bits.
• Encrypts data in blocks of 128 bits each.
That means it takes 128 bits as input and outputs 128 bits of
encrypted cipher text. AES relies on the substitution-
permutation network principle, which is performed using a
series of linked operations that involve replacing and
shuffling the input data.
Working of The Cipher
AES performs operations on bytes of data rather than in bits.
Since the block size is 128 bits, the cipher processes 128
bits (or 16 bytes) of the input data at a time.
The number of rounds depends on the key length as follows :
N (Number of Rounds) Key Size (in bits)
10 128
12 192
14 256
Creation of Round Keys
A Key Schedule algorithm calculates all the round keys from
the key. So the initial key is used to create many different
round keys which will be used in the corresponding round of
the encryption.
Creation of Round Keys (AES)
Encryption
AES considers each block as a 16-byte (4 byte x 4 byte = 128
) grid in a column-major arrangement.
[ b0 | b4 | b8 | b12 |
| b1 | b5 | b9 | b13 |
| b2 | b6 | b10| b14 |
| b3 | b7 | b11| b15 ]
Each round comprises of 4 steps :
• SubBytes
• ShiftRows
• MixColumns
• Add Round Key
Step1. Sub Bytes
This step implements the substitution.
In this step, each byte is substituted by another byte. It is
performed using a lookup table also called the S-box. This
substitution is done in a way that a byte is never substituted
by itself and also not substituted by another byte which is a
compliment of the current byte. The result of this step is a
16-byte (4 x 4 ) matrix like before.
The next two steps implement the permutation.
Step2. Shift Rows
This step is just as it sounds. Each row is shifted a particular
number of times.
• The first row is not shifted
• The second row is shifted once to the left.
• The third row is shifted twice to the left.
• The fourth row is shifted thrice to the left.
(A left circular shift is performed.)
[ b0 | b1 | b2 | b3 ] [ b0 | b1 | b2 | b3 ]
| b4 | b5 | b6 | b7 | -> | b5 | b6 | b7 | b4 |
| b8 | b9 | b10 | b11 | | b10 | b11 | b8 | b9 |
[ b12 | b13 | b14 | b15 ] [ b15 | b12 | b13 | b14 ]
Step 3: Mix Columns
This step is a matrix multiplication. Each column is
multiplied with a specific matrix and thus the position of
each byte in the column is changed as a result.
This step is skipped in the last round.
[ c0 ] [2311] [ b0 ]
| c1 | = |1231| | b1 |
| c2 | |1123| | b2 |
[ c3 ] [3112] [ b3 ]
Step 4: Add Round Keys
• Now the resultant output of the previous stage is XOR-
ed with the corresponding round key. Here, the 16 bytes
are not considered as a grid but just as 128 bits of data.
• After all these rounds 128 bits of encrypted data are
given back as output. This process is repeated until all
the data to be encrypted undergoes this process.
Decryption
The stages in the rounds can be easily undone as these
stages have an opposite to it which when performed reverts
the changes. Each 128 blocks goes through the 10,12 or 14
rounds depending on the key size.
The stages of each round of decryption are as follows :
• Add round key
• Inverse MixColumns
• ShiftRows
• Inverse SubByte
The decryption process is the encryption process done in
reverse so I will explain the steps with notable differences.
Inverse MixColumns
• This step is similar to the Mix Columns step in
encryption but differs in the matrix used to carry out the
operation.
• Mix Columns Operation each column is mixed
independent of the other.
• Matrix multiplication is used. The output of this step is
the matrix multiplication of the old values and a
constant matrix
[b0] = [ 14 11 13 9] [ c0 ]
[b1]=[ 9 14 11 13 ] [ c1 ]
[b2] =[ 13 9 14 11] [ c2 ]
[ b3 ]=[ 11 13 9 14 ] [ c3 ]
Inverse SubBytes
• Inverse S-box is used as a lookup table and using which
the bytes are substituted during decryption.
• Function Substitute performs a byte substitution on
each byte of the input word. For this purpose, it uses an
S-box.
Applications of AES
AES is widely used in many applications which require
secure data storage and transmission. Some common use
cases include:
• Wireless security: AES is used in securing wireless
networks, such as Wi-Fi networks, to ensure data
confidentiality and prevent unauthorized access.
• Database Encryption: AES can be applied to encrypt
sensitive data stored in databases. This helps protect
personal information, financial records, and other
confidential data from unauthorized access in case of a
data breach.
• Secure communications: AES is widely used in
protocols such as internet communications, email,
instant messaging, and voice/video calls. It ensures that
the data remains confidential.
• Data storage: AES is used to encrypt sensitive data
stored on hard drives, USB drives, and other storage
media, protecting it from unauthorized access in case
of loss or theft.
• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): AES is commonly
used in VPN protocols to secure the communication
between a user's device and a remote server. It ensures
that data sent and received through the VPN remains
private and cannot be deciphered by eavesdroppers.
• Secure Storage of Passwords: AES encryption is
commonly employed to store passwords securely.
Instead of storing plaintext passwords, the encrypted
version is stored. This adds an extra layer of security
and protects user credentials in case of unauthorized
access to the storage.
• File and Disk Encryption: AES is used to encrypt files
and folders on computers, external storage devices,
and cloud storage. It protects sensitive data stored on
devices or during data transfer to prevent unauthorized
access.
