AES

AES, or Advanced Encryption Standard, is a symmetric encryption algorithm widely used for securing sensitive data. It was established by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2001 to replace the Data Encryption Standard (DES), which was considered insecure. AES operates on fixed block sizes of 128 bits and supports key sizes of 128, 192, and 256 bits, providing varying levels of security. The algorithm uses a series of transformations, including substitution, permutation, and mixing operations, to encrypt data. AES is known for its efficiency and performance, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, from securing communications to protecting data at rest. Its robustness against various cryptographic attacks has made it a standard for encryption in both government and commercial sectors. AES is implemented in various software and hardware platforms, ensuring its versatility and widespread adoption.