Is DES cipher not security anymore - Essay Example

Is DES Cipher not Security Anymore? Insert (s) Is DES Cipher not Security Anymore? I agree with EFF that Data Encryption Standard (DES) cipher is not anymore security. This is particularly because DES is a weak, old and broken encryption algorithm that is highly susceptible to brute force attacks (Curtin, Dolske, 1998, p.4). For example, the DES cryptanalysis carried out by Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) in 1998 revealed that given a finite time, DES can easily be cracked by a modestly financed adversary. This is further compounded by the fact that while it may have cost EFF $250,000 to successfully crack DES in 1998, it can now be achieved for a considerably less cost and time.
Although DES are still being used as a means of encryption by many organizations and governments, DES has significantly deprecated and is no longer secure as just anyone with a little technical know-how and time can break into the cryptographic keys. However, this does not mean that DES cipher should never be used all. It only means that it is important to evaluate the value of the information to be protected, both to the attacker and to the owner, and fully grasp the nature of the risks before making the decision to use Data Encryption Standard (DES) cipher. According to Stallings (2006, p.73), DES may still provide security if used in situations involving no real threats such as when encrypting files on a family PC.
In conclusion, in view of the contemporary threats, DES algorithm offers very little deterrence for any determined adversary and should never be considered to be secure. Using more efficient and stronger cryptographic algorithms such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and 3DES among others may provide better security.
References
Curtin, M. & Dolske, J. 1998. A Brute Force Search of DES Keyspace. Available at .
Stallings, W. 2006. Cryptography and network security: principles and practice. New York: Prentice Hall Read More