Below are the properties and descriptions of the DES and AES keys used for encryption:
DES (Data Encryption Standard) and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) are both symmetric block ciphers.
DES is a symmetric block cipher (shared secret key) with a 56-bit key length. Published in 1977 as the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 46 standard, DES was officially deprecated in 2005.
AES was published in 2001 as the FIPS 197 standard. AES is a mathematically more efficient cryptographic algorithm for data encryption. AES allows a 128-bit, 192-bit, or 256-bit key to be chosen, which is stronger than DES's 56-bit key.
| DES | AES | |
| Year | 1977 | 2000 |
| Key length | 56 bit | 128, 192 or 256 bit |
| Cipher type | Symmetric block cipher | Symmetric block cipher |
| Block size | 64 bit | 128 bit |
| Security | The entire data block is processed as a single matrix. | Has a larger secret key, which is relatively more secure. |
| Speed | DES is slower. | AES is faster. |
| Principle | DES operates on a Feistel Cipher structure. | AES operates on the Substitution and Permutation Principle. |
| Basis | The data block is split in two. | The entire data block is processed as a single matrix. |