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Block Cipher

Block ciphers encrypt data in fixed-size blocks and use a symmetric key. They generally operate on blocks of the same size as the key length. Choosing a block size involves balancing efficiency, resistance to dictionary attacks, and compatibility with computer architectures. Padding is needed to expand the final partial block to the full block size. Popular block ciphers include DES, Triple DES, AES, IDEA, Twofish, and Serpent, which use block sizes of 64 or 128 bits and keys of 64 to 256 bits.

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43 views

Block Cipher

Block ciphers encrypt data in fixed-size blocks and use a symmetric key. They generally operate on blocks of the same size as the key length. Choosing a block size involves balancing efficiency, resistance to dictionary attacks, and compatibility with computer architectures. Padding is needed to expand the final partial block to the full block size. Popular block ciphers include DES, Triple DES, AES, IDEA, Twofish, and Serpent, which use block sizes of 64 or 128 bits and keys of 64 to 256 bits.

Uploaded by

Ashish M
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Block Cipher

The basic scheme of a block cipher is depicted as follows −

A block cipher takes a block of plaintext bits and generates a block of ciphertext bits,
generally of same size. The size of block is fixed in the given scheme. The choice of block size
does not directly affect to the strength of encryption scheme. The strength of cipher depends
up on the key length.

Block Size
Though any size of block is acceptable, following aspects are borne in mind while selecting a
size of a block.

Avoid very small block size − Say a block size is m bits. Then the possible plaintext bits
combinations are then 2m. If the attacker discovers the plain text blocks corresponding to
some previously sent ciphertext blocks, then the attacker can launch a type of ‘dictionary
attack’ by building up a dictionary of plaintext/ciphertext pairs sent using that encryption
key. A larger block size makes attack harder as the dictionary needs to be larger.

Do not have very large block size − With very large block size, the cipher becomes
inefficient to operate. Such plaintexts will need to be padded before being encrypted.

Multiples of 8 bit − A preferred block size is a multiple of 8 as it is easy for


implementation as most computer processor handle data in multiple of 8 bits.

Padding in Block Cipher


Block ciphers process blocks of fixed sizes (say 64 bits). The length of plaintexts is mostly not
a multiple of the block size. For example, a 150-bit plaintext provides two blocks of 64 bits
each with third block of balance 22 bits. The last block of bits needs to be padded up with
redundant information so that the length of the final block equal to block size of the scheme.
In our example, the remaining 22 bits need to have additional 42 redundant bits added to
provide a complete block. The process of adding bits to the last block is referred to as
padding.

Too much padding makes the system inefficient. Also, padding may render the system
insecure at times, if the padding is done with same bits always.

Block Cipher Schemes


There is a vast number of block ciphers schemes that are in use. Many of them are publically
known. Most popular and prominent block ciphers are listed below.

Digital Encryption Standard (DES) − The popular block cipher of the 1990s. It is now
considered as a ‘broken’ block cipher, due primarily to its small key size.

Triple DES − It is a variant scheme based on repeated DES applications. It is still a


respected block ciphers but inefficient compared to the new faster block ciphers
available.

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) − It is a relatively new block cipher based on the
encryption algorithm Rijndael that won the AES design competition.
IDEA − It is a sufficiently strong block cipher with a block size of 64 and a key size of 128
bits. A number of applications use IDEA encryption, including early versions of Pretty
Good Privacy (PGP) protocol. The use of IDEA scheme has a restricted adoption due to
patent issues.

Twofish − This scheme of block cipher uses block size of 128 bits and a key of variable
length. It was one of the AES finalists. It is based on the earlier block cipher Blowfish with
a block size of 64 bits.

Serpent − A block cipher with a block size of 128 bits and key lengths of 128, 192, or 256
bits, which was also an AES competition finalist. It is a slower but has more secure
design than other block cipher.

In the next sections, we will first discuss the model of block cipher followed by DES and AES,
two of the most influential modern block ciphers.

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