Let's take a simple example of a symmetric key encryption algorithm to walk through the overall process of encrypting and decrypting a message. Symmetric-key requires that you know which … The keys, in practice, represent a shared secret between two or more parties that can be used to maintain a private information link. Both the sender and the receiver need the same key to communicate. Symmetric cryptography is faster to run (in terms of both encryption and decryption) because the keys used are much shorter than they are in asymmetric cryptography. Symmetric key sizes are typically 128 or 256 bits—the larger the key size, the harder the key is to crack. Just like two Spartan generals sending messages to each other, computers using symmetric-key encryption to send information between each other must have the same key. The libcrypto library within OpenSSL provides functions for performing symmetric encryption and decryption operations across a wide range of algorithms and modes. The most popular Symmetric Algorithms are DES, Triple-DES, AES, Blowfish, RC2, RC4(ARCFOUR), RC5, RC6. 3DES is Officially Being Retired (2018), by Jasmine Henry; Trends in Cryptography Part 1 – Algorithms and Encryption (2018), by Rob Stubbs The former is symmetric encryption, while the latter is called asymmetric encryption. Symmetric encryption (or pre-shared key encryption) uses a single key to both encrypt and decrypt data. The AES encryption is a symmetric cipher that uses the same key for encryption and decryption. In order to perform encryption/decryption you need to know: Symmetric ciphers use symmetric algorithms to encrypt and decrypt data. 1. These ciphers are used in symmetric key cryptography.A symmetric algorithm uses the same key to encrypt data as it does to decrypt data. Symmetric Encryption. First up, we have symmetric cryptography. Additionally, the fact that only one key gets used (versus two for asymmetric cryptography… In symmetric-key encryption, each computer has a secret key (code) that it can use to encrypt a packet of information before it is sent over the network to another computer. Use Case of Symmetric Key Cryptography. Below you can see the code of an application that uses Symmetric-Key Cryptography to encrypt or decrypt a pre-set directory. With this type of key cryptography, the sender and receiver of a message share a single key. These types of encryption algorithms are called symmetric because they use the same key to encrypt and decrypt messages. References and Further Reading. In symmetric encryption, there is only one key, and all parties involved use the same key to encrypt and decrypt information. For example, a symmetric algorithm will use key k k k to encrypt some plaintext information like a password into a ciphertext. Symmetric Encryption. Types of encryption: Symmetric Encryption . 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