Empirical Research Press Ltd.

London, United Kingdom

International Journal of
Engineering and Applied Computer Science
Volume: 04, Issue: 02, March 2022 ISBN: 9780995707542

Analysis of Most Common Encryption Algorithms

Attique Ahmed1, Muhammad Naeem2

1,2
Department of Computer Science, Abbottabad University of Science and Technology, Pakistan

10.24032/IJEACS/0402/003

© 2022 by the author(s); licensee Empirical Research Press Ltd. United Kingdom. This is an open access article
distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons by Attribution (CC-BY) license.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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 Attique Ahmed et al. International Journal of Engineering and Applied Computer Science (IJEACS)
Volume: 04, Issue: 02, ISBN: 9780995707542, March 2022

Analysis of Most Common Encryption Algorithms

Abstract—As the things are settled down after the emergence of respectively. An in-depth study reveals that it varies from case
technology, and this is the decade of professionalism as far as to case in selecting the optimal encryption algorithm [18].
technology is concerned, security of data is the major hurdle in
this race. This is the era in which data is one click away from the
users, so data needs to be more secured so that it can be avoided II. FUNDAMENTALS OF STUDY
unauthorized access. For this purpose, different data security Data Security has become a crucial factor nowadays,
fields have also emerged to ensure data security and mainly with current exchange networks, which have drawbacks
confidentiality. In this survey paper we will look up all the that might be leveraged to devastating effects. In our study, we
techniques used for data encryption and after that, we compare afford a few dialogues on famous encryption algorithms that
those techniques to provide the best algorithm to ensure that data may be used to tighten data protection in Symmetric/
is secured. We go categorically, as in most of the cases, symmetric Asymmetric Encryption. The best manner to start this debate is
encryption technique is applicable and, in a few cases,
to begin from the fundamentals first. Thus, we study definitions
asymmetric is recommended. Firstly, in our study, we compare
of algorithms and basic cryptographic standards after which
both the techniques with each other and then compare all the
algorithms working under the above-mentioned categories
dive into the center part of the dialogue in which we give an
concerning their time, efficiency, memory usage, latency, key size, evaluation of two techniques [3][16].
and several rounds which will result in showing the best
algorithm according to input data. A. Algorithm
The algorithm is a set of rules, a method, or a system for
Keywords- Encryption, Cryptography, Symmetric, Asymmetric, fixing a problem. An encrypted set of rules is a fixed
data security, algorithm. mathematical method for acting encryption on facts. Through
using such a set of rules, data is made inside cipher textual
I. INTRODUCTION content and calls for using a key to remodeling facts into their
unique shape [15]. This brings us to the idea of cryptography
The settlement of technology and software programs used
that has been lengthy and has been utilized in data protection in
these days has facilitated malicious customers to intercept
data communication.
information at some stage in data transmission [2]. As a result,
it's far extraordinarily crucial for any corporation or person to
guard their touchy and treasured records. Security frequently B. Cryptography
looks up retaining the information secure from unauthorized Cryptography is a way of the use of superior mathematical
access to maintain the quality line of defense [9]. Encryption is concepts in storing and transmitting data in a specific shape so
a method to save data so that the information stays unchanged that is understood by the ones whom it's supposed can examine
and guarded at some stage in the information transmission from and the method it. Encryption is key idea in cryptography
the sender to the meant recipient [26]. Encryption is described [13][17]. It is the method in which a message is encoded in a
as the procedure of concealing records from intruders or layout that can't be examined or understood without the aid of
unauthorized persons [14]. Conversely, decryption is the using a key. A simple content from a person may be encrypted
procedure of changing records again into the record’s regular to ciphertext, and then processed through a data exchange
layout [14]. channel so no one can intrude with obvious textual content.
People and organizations are being subjected to protection When it hits the receiver end, the ciphertext is decrypted to the
incidents including breaches of privacy and identity theft. As a original simple content [22].
result, people’s monetary facts were stolen, online debts were
given illegally accessed, and to a degree person names and C. Encryption
passwords were given posted to the public. In 2021, there were It is the method of locking up data with the use of
1291 protection incidents and forty-four million data were cryptography. The data that has been protected in this manner
compromised amongst exceptional businesses. The hike of is encrypted [1].
security breaches was up to 17% as compared to the year 2020
[28]. Moreover, those affected businesses incur large quantities D. Decryption
of losses in phrases of stolen budgets and different costs in the The method of opening the encrypted data by using
aftermath of the incidents [20]. cryptographic methods [1].
To mitigate the security threats as far as data is concerned;
encryption techniques and algorithms were designed right from E. Key
the emergence of new technology. There are two types of A piece of hidden information like a password is used to
Encryption algorithms which are named Symmetric and encrypt and decrypt data. There are some distinct kinds of keys
Asymmetric algorithms which have their pros and cons utilized in cryptography [4].

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 Attique Ahmed et al. International Journal of Engineering and Applied Computer Science (IJEACS)
Volume: 04, Issue: 02, ISBN: 9780995707542, March 2022

F. Steganography DSA, elliptic curve technique and hyperelliptic curve

It is truly the technological know-how of hiding data from techniques, etc. See Figure 2.
hackers and unknown people that could harm you. The
distinction between steganography and encryption is that the
snoopers won't have the ability to comprehend there are any
hidden data in the picture, text, or any other media [26].

G. Symmetric Encryption
This is the most effective type of encryption that provides
one hidden key to cipher and decrypt data [22]. Symmetric
encryption is an ancient and well-known method. In this
method, the mystery key is used which may be a number, a
phrase, or a string of arbitrary letters. It is mixed with the
obvious textual data or a message to enclose the content
material in a specific manner. The sender and recipient must
know the name of the key which is used to encrypt and decrypt Figure 2. Asymmetric Key Encryption
all of the messages. Blowfish, Twofish, AES, DES, 3DES, and
RCG are examples of symmetric encryption. The broadly used Upon detailed investigation, we found differences between
symmetric set of rules is AES-128, AES-256, and blowfish. symmetric and asymmetric encryption techniques. All of them
See Figure 1. are given in the table below:

TABLE I. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC

TECHNIQUES

No Symmetric Encryption Asymmetric Encryption

1. A single key is used to Alternate keys are used to

both encrypt and decrypt encrypt and decrypt data.
data. The public key for
encryption and the private
key for decryption.

Figure 1. Symmetric Key Encryption 2. The size of ciphertext is The size of ciphertext is
comparatively the same or comparatively the same or
smaller than the size of the larger than the size of the
H. Asymmetric Encryption original content. original content.
Asymmetric encryption can also be named public-key
3. The process of encryption The process of encryption
encryption which is comparatively a new method, as compared is faster than asymmetric. is slower than symmetric.
to symmetric encryption. Asymmetric encryption makes use of
two keys to encrypt simple textual content namely a public key 4. Used when a large amount Used when data is small.
and a private key [29]. Secret keys are then exchanged over the of data is required to be
Internet or a massive network. It guarantees that transferred.
hackers/snoopers cannot misuse the keys. It is critical to
observe that absolutely anyone with this key can decrypt the 5. Largely used for Used for confidentiality,
message and that is why such encryption makes use of confidentiality. authenticity, and non-
associated keys to enhance protection [2]. A public key is made repudiation.
generously had to absolutely everyone who would possibly
need to send or receive a message. 6. Resource utilization is low. Resource utilization is
high.
A message encrypted with the use of a public key can best
be decrypted using a private key; a message encrypted by the
use of a personal key may be decrypted by the use of a public
key. Security of general public key is not always required III. ANALYSIS OF POPULAR ALGORITHMS
because it's far from publicly to be had and may be surpassed In this section, we compare different algorithm techniques.
over the internet [38]. Firstly, we consider symmetric algorithms, and then we
compare asymmetric algorithms. At the end of the study, we
Asymmetric encryption is typically utilized in everyday compare both symmetric and asymmetric algorithms in order to
communication channels, mainly over the Internet. The most suggest the best algorithm which can compensate for all types
popular asymmetric encryption algorithms are EIgamal, RSA, of encryption tasks with great reliability.

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 Attique Ahmed et al. International Journal of Engineering and Applied Computer Science (IJEACS)
Volume: 04, Issue: 02, ISBN: 9780995707542, March 2022

A. Symmetric Algorithms Comparison TABLE III. ASYMMETRIC ALGORITHMS COMPARISON

After complete analysis, it is clear that blowfish and AES

are the best among all other algorithms [4]. As these are Parameters for Elliptic
Elgamal RSA
Comparison Curve
invented after DES and 3DES so all the complications and
drawbacks present in the aforementioned algorithms were
mitigated in AES and blowfish techniques [23]. By comparing Neal Koblitz,
Taher Rivest, Shamir,
the key size of all the algorithms, it is observed that the AES Developers Victor
Elgamal and Adleman
and blowfish have bigger key sizes as compared to other S. Miller
techniques.
Emerging Year 1985 1985 1977
Blowfish is based on a Feistel network [11]. Feistel
network uses a series of consecutive ciphers on a block of
Up to 15360
given data and is designed for a block of ciphers that encrypt a Size of Key Up to 512 bits 521 bits
bits
large amount of data [3]. A Feistel network works on a division
basis, by splitting the block of data into 2 equal pieces and then Algebraic Diffie Exponentiation
applying encryption in multiple rounds [12]. Structure of Hellman is a finite field
Algorithm
elliptic curve key over integers
Type
over a finite exchang including prime
TABLE II. SYMMETRIC ALGORITHMS COMPARISON field e numbers

Parameter Encryption
390 297 531
s for Time (ms)
DES 3DES AES Blowfish Twofish
Compariso
n
On the other hand, ECC can do the specific task of
Bruce Bruce
Developers IBM IBM NIST
Schneire Schneire encryption with the least bits of the key [9]. This can be shown
Emerging in Table IV.
1974 1978 2001 1993 1972
Year
192 128, 192, Up to 448 Up to TABLE IV. RSA VS ECC (BORROWED FROM [13])
Size of Key 56 bits
bits 256 bits bits 256 bits
Bits Level RSA ECC
Size of
64 bits 64 bits 64 bits 64 bits 128 bits
80 bits 1024 160
Block 112 bits 2048 224
No. of 128 bits 3072 256
16 48 10, 12, 14 16 16
Rounds 192 bits 7680 386
Substituti
on &
256 bits 15360 512
Algorithm Feistel Feistel Feistel Feistel
Permutati
Type N/W N/W N/W N/W
on ECC is a very promising asymmetric cryptography
Network technique that was presented by Miller and his fellow Koblitz
Encryption during the late 1980s [1]. This kind of algorithm is suitable for
Time (ms) 0.48,0.67,
(25kb file
0.89 1.391
0.95
0.59 0.99 devices using memory constraints such as Palmtop computers,
size) Smartphones, Smartcards, etc [16]. As compared to RSA and
ECC requires few parameters to encrypt and decrypt the
AES is based on substitution and permutation desired data or content, keeping the security level equivalent to
networks [15]. The substitution and permutation network all other sibling algorithms [13].
works on mathematical calculation and formulae to substitute RSA uses the technique of exponentiation over finite fields
and flip flop the date from one place to another [11]. In this including prime numbers [17]. On the other hand, ECC uses
way, the data can be made non-understandable by a common algebraic expressions which can also be used to encrypt and
person until it is decrypted by the person who knows the key decrypt data more conveniently. ECC shows great results in
for decryption [22]. respect of performance so this can be recommended as far as
asymmetric techniques are concerned [13].
B. Asymmetric Algorithms Comparison
By comparing the data fetched from Table III, it can be IV. DISCUSSION
examined that RSA and ECC are in the race [5]. To filter one
out of two, we need to understand the basic working and To conclude the discussion, we have a specific kind of
specifications of both algorithms thoroughly. distribution as shown in Figure 3.

The key size in RSA can proceed up to a thousand bits, but We can easily comprehend the fact from the figure that if
the problem is that, if we use the larger key, greater will be the the input size is less than 512 bits then we go for symmetric
time of encryption and decryption, which is not our desire from algorithms. The reason behind this observation is that
this technique [27]. symmetric key encryption seems faster than asymmetric

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 Attique Ahmed et al. International Journal of Engineering and Applied Computer Science (IJEACS)
Volume: 04, Issue: 02, ISBN: 9780995707542, March 2022

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AUTHORS PROFILE

Mr. Attique Ahmed has completed

his BS degree in Computer Science
from Hazara University, Mansehra,
Pakistan. Presently, He is pursuing
M.Phil. degree in Computer Science
from Abbottabad University of
Science and Technology, Abbottabad,
Pakistan.

Dr. Muhammad Naeem is an

Associate Professor and Head of the
Department of Computer Science at
Abbottabad University of Science and
Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan.
He has completed his Ph.D. from
Leicester University, United
Kingdom.

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