Difference between AES and DES ciphers

Last Updated : 24 Jan, 2023

What is AES?

It stands for Advanced Encryption Standard, developed in 2001. As triple-DES was found to be slow, AES was created and is six times faster than the triple DES. It is one of the most widely used symmetric block cipher algorithm used nowadays. It works on bytes rather than bits.

What is DES?

It stands for Data Encryption Standard, developed in 1977. It is a multi-round cipher that divides the full text into 2 parts and then work on each part individually. It includes various functionality such as Expansion, Permutation, and Substitution, XOR operation with a round key.

AES and DES are both examples of symmetric block ciphers but have certain dissimilarities.

	AES	DES
1.	AES stands for Advanced Encryption Standard	DES stands for Data Encryption Standard
2.	The date of creation is 2001.	The date of creation is 1977.
3.	Byte-Oriented.	Bit-Oriented.
4.	Key length can be 128-bits, 192-bits, and 256-bits.	The key length is 56 bits in DES.
5.	Number of rounds depends on key length: 10(128-bits), 12(192-bits), or 14(256-bits)	DES involves 16 rounds of identical operations
6.	The structure is based on a substitution-permutation network.	The structure is based on a Feistel network.
7.	The design rationale for AES is open.	The design rationale for DES is closed.
8.	The selection process for this is secret but accepted for open public comment.	The selection process for this is secret.
9.	AES is more secure than the DES cipher and is the de facto world standard.	DES can be broken easily as it has known vulnerabilities. 3DES(Triple DES) is a variation of DES which is secure than the usual DES.
10.	The rounds in AES are: Byte Substitution, Shift Row, Mix Column and Key Addition	The rounds in DES are: Expansion, XOR operation with round key, Substitution and Permutation
11.	AES can encrypt 128 bits of plaintext.	DES can encrypt 64 bits of plaintext.
12.	It can generate Ciphertext of 128, 192, 256 bits.	It generates Ciphertext of 64 bits.
13.	AES cipher is derived from an aside-channel square cipher.	DES cipher is derived from Lucifer cipher.
14.	AES was designed by Vincent Rijmen and Joan Daemen.	DES was designed by IBM.
15.	No known crypt-analytical attacks against AES but side channel attacks against AES implementations possible. Biclique attacks have better complexity than brute force but still ineffective.	Known attacks against DES include Brute-force, Linear crypt-analysis, and Differential crypt-analysis.
16.	It is faster than DES.	It is slower than AES.
17.	It is flexible.	It is not flexible.
18.	It is efficient with both hardware and software.	It is efficient only with hardware.

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