Information, Computer and Network Security Terms Glossary and Dictionary

DES: Data Encryption Standard

Data Encryption Standard (DES) is a long-standing US encryption standard with symmetric-key encryption method standardized by ANSI in 1981 as ANSI X.3.92. DES uses a 56-bit key and uses the block cipher method, which breaks text into 64-bit blocks and then encrypts them. There are 72 quadrillion or more possible encryption keys that can be used in this algorithm. Like other private key cryptographic methods, both the sender and the receiver must know and use the same private key.

Related Terms

DES: Data Encryption Standard