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Cyber Security Academy · Lesson

Symmetric Encryption: AES and Stream Ciphers

Learn how symmetric ciphers work, key sizes, block vs stream ciphers, and modes of operation.

What is Symmetric Encryption?

Symmetric encryption uses the same key for both encryption and decryption. It is fast and efficient, making it ideal for bulk data encryption. The key distribution problem — how do two parties securely share the key — is its main challenge.

AES: Advanced Encryption Standard

AES is the global standard for symmetric encryption, adopted by NIST in 2001. It operates on 128-bit blocks with key sizes of 128, 192, or 256 bits. AES is used in TLS, disk encryption, Wi-Fi (WPA2), and countless other protocols.

All lessons in this course

  1. Symmetric Encryption: AES and Stream Ciphers
  2. Asymmetric Encryption: RSA and Elliptic Curves
  3. Hash Functions: SHA-256 and Beyond
  4. Digital Signatures and Certificates
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