Technical Report Writing

On

Explain the main concept of DES (Data Encryption Standard)

Submitted By

Name: Ronit Laha

Department: CSE
Semester: 8th

Roll Number: 16901621028

Department of Computer Science And Engineering

Academy of Technology
Aedconagar, Hooghly-712121
West Bengal, India
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 Abstract
The Data Encryption Standard (DES) was one of the first widely used symmetric- key
block ciphers, developed in the 1970s by IBM and adopted by the U.S. National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This report explores the fundamental
concepts of DES, including its operational principles, security features, and historical
significance. Although DES was widely used for several decades, it is now considered
insecure for modern applications due to its small key size. The report examines how
DES works, its key generation process, encryption and decryption procedure, and its
eventual replacement by the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

 Introduction
The Data Encryption Standard (DES) was developed by IBM in the early 1970s and
adopted by the U.S. government as a standard for encrypting non-classified data in
1977. It is a symmetric-key block cipher, meaning the same key is used for both
encryption and decryption. DES was considered highly secure at the time of its
creation and became widely used in a variety of applications, including financial
transactions, data protection, and communications.

The main purpose of DES was to provide a standardized method of protecting

sensitive but unclassified information. However, as computing power increased and
cryptanalysis techniques evolved, the 56-bit key size of DES became vulnerable to
brute-force attacks, leading to its eventual replacement by more secure encryption
algorithms, such as the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

This report aims to provide an in-depth understanding of DES by explaining its main
concepts, encryption/decryption procedures, security concerns, and its place in the
evolution of cryptographic algorithms.

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 Procedure and Discussion
1. Basic Concept of DES
DES operates on fixed-size blocks of data (64 bits) and uses a 56-bit key for
encryption and decryption. The key is expanded into 16 subkeys, and the
algorithm applies multiple rounds of transformations to the data block. The
primary components of DES include:

 Initial Permutation (IP): A permutation of the input data

before encryption begins. It is a fixed, predefined transformation.
 Feistel Function: A key component of DES's encryption process.
It involves splitting the data block into two halves and applying
various transformations to one half using the subkeys.
 Rounds: DES performs 16 rounds of encryption, with each round using
a unique subkey derived from the original key.
 Final Permutation (FP): A final permutation applied after the
last round, which is the inverse of the initial permutation.

2. Key Generation Process

The 56-bit DES key is divided into two halves (28 bits each), and through a series
of rotations and selections, 16 subkeys are generated for each of the 16 rounds.
The process involves:

 Key Schedule: The key is rotated and permuted to generate the

16 subkeys.
 Rotations: Each half of the key is shifted left by one or two
positions during each round.
 Permutation: The rotated bits are then selected using a
permutation table.

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 3. Encryption Procedure
The encryption of data using DES follows the Feistel structure. The plaintext (64- bit
block) is first subjected to the Initial Permutation (IP). Then, it undergoes 16
rounds, with each round applying the Feistel function to one half of the data using
the corresponding subkey. After all rounds, the data undergoes a final permutation
(FP) to produce the ciphertext.

The steps of the Feistel function in each round are:

I. Divide the data: The 64-bit data block is split into two 32-bit halves.
II. Expansion: The right half is expanded to 48 bits using an
expansion permutation.
III. Key Mixing: The expanded right half is XORed with the round's subkey.
IV. Substitution: The result of the XOR operation is passed through a
series of S-boxes (substitution boxes) to produce a 32-bit output.
V. Permutation: A final permutation is applied to the output before it
is XORed with the left half of the data.
VI. Swap halves: The left and right halves are swapped, and the process
is repeated for the next round.

4. Decryption Procedure
Decryption in DES is essentially the reverse of encryption. The ciphertext is
subjected to the same series of transformations, but the subkeys are applied in
reverse order. The process includes the same initial and final permutations, as well
as the same Feistel rounds, except the subkeys are applied in reverse order to
obtain the original plaintext.

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5. Security of DES
DES was designed to be computationally infeasible to break within a reasonable
amount of time using brute-force attacks, due to the large key size. However, as
computational power increased, it became evident that the 56-bit key size was
insufficient for securing data against modern attacks.

 Brute-force attacks: In 1998, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)

demonstrated that DES could be cracked in a matter of days using
specialized hardware.
 Cryptanalysis: Techniques such as differential and linear
cryptanalysis showed weaknesses in the DES algorithm, leading to
vulnerabilities in its security.

As a result, DES was gradually phased out in favor of more secure encryption
standards like AES, which offers stronger protection against brute-force and
cryptanalysis attacks.

6. DES in Practice
Despite its vulnerabilities, DES was widely used in the past for securing data in
various industries, particularly in financial systems. It was the standard encryption
algorithm for securing electronic transactions and communications for several
decades. However, with advancements in cryptography, the shift toward AES has
rendered DES obsolete for modern security needs.

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 Conclusion
The Data Encryption Standard (DES) played a significant role in the history of
cryptography, providing a reliable method for encrypting sensitive information in the
late 20th century. However, as technology advanced, its 56-bit key became
susceptible to brute-force attacks, and cryptanalysis uncovered vulnerabilities in its
structure. As a result, DES was eventually replaced by more secure algorithms, such
as AES. While DES is no longer considered secure for modern applications, its legacy
has paved the way for stronger encryption standards and has shaped the development
of cryptographic techniques that continue to protect information today.

 References
 Schneier, B. (1996). Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and
Source Code in C (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (2001). Data Encryption
Standard (DES). Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 46-3.
 Menezes, A. J., van Oorschot, P. C., & Vanstone, S. A. (1997). Handbook
of Applied Cryptography. CRC Press.
 Menezes, A. J. (2001). Cryptography: Theory and Practice (2nd ed.). CRC Press.
 The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). (1998). DES Cracker: A Modern
Cryptanalysis Tool.