AES Encryption & Decryption Tool
Result
Military-Grade Encryption
Utilizes the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), one of the most secure and widely adopted symmetric-key algorithms globally, approved for top secret government information.
Block Cipher Processing
Processes data in 128-bit (16-byte) blocks, ensuring high efficiency and robust security for bulk data encryption and decryption.
Strong Key Schedule
Employs a sophisticated key expansion algorithm to derive multiple unique round keys from your single 128-bit master key, enhancing cryptographic strength.
Detailed Visualization
Experience an in-depth, step-by-step visualization of each AES round (SubBytes, ShiftRows, MixColumns, AddRoundKey) for educational insight into the process.
Transparent Implementation
Our tool uses a custom Java implementation of AES-128, allowing for full transparency and a deeper understanding of the underlying cryptographic operations.
Inverse Operations Explained
Visualize the inverse operations during decryption, illustrating how data is meticulously returned to its original plaintext form.
About AES Encryption
The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a symmetric block cipher selected by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2001. It replaced the Data Encryption Standard (DES) as the federal government's standard for encrypting sensitive data.
AES operates on fixed-size blocks of 128 bits and uses key sizes of 128, 192, or 256 bits. This tool specifically implements AES-128, which means it uses a 128-bit (16-byte) key and performs 10 rounds of encryption/decryption.
Each round consists of several transformations: SubBytes, ShiftRows, MixColumns (skipped in the last round), and AddRoundKey. These operations, combined with a robust key schedule, ensure strong diffusion and confusion, making AES highly resistant to various cryptographic attacks.
AES's strength lies not only in its mathematical foundation but also in its efficient implementation across both hardware and software platforms. Its design enables fast encryption and decryption processes, which makes it ideal for a wide range of applications—from securing data on smartphones and laptops to protecting communications in high-performance servers. Unlike its predecessor DES, which became vulnerable due to its shorter key length, AES's support for longer key sizes significantly enhances its resistance against brute-force attacks.
How to Use the AES Tool
- Enter Your Message: In the "Message" text area, type or paste the text you want to encrypt or the Base64-encoded ciphertext you want to decrypt.
- Provide Your Key: Enter your 16-character (128-bit) secret key in the "16-Character Encryption Key" field. This key is crucial for both encryption and decryption.
- Select Operation: Choose "Encrypt" if you want to convert your plaintext into ciphertext, or "Decrypt" if you want to convert ciphertext back into plaintext.
- Process: Click the "Process" button. The tool will execute the AES algorithm and display the final result.
- View Visualization: Scroll down to the "Encryption/Decryption Visualization" section to see the detailed, step-by-step transformation of your data through each round of AES.
- Copy Results: Use the "Copy Result" buttons to easily copy the intermediate or final output to your clipboard.