What are the Different Types of Encryption?

With the massive usage of the internet, data security has become a growing concern. Starting from logging in to our browser to filling a health-related form, we take more of our personal data online these days. That’s why most of the applications or software we use regularly follow certain data encryption methods to keep this data safe. 

However, no matter which encryption method you follow, you can expect the same level of privacy and security from the prying eyes. Here, we’ve mentioned all the different types of encryption that any individual or an organisation can choose to follow. So scroll down and have a look. 

How Does Encryption Work?

In simpler words, encryption generally uses algorithms to encode whatever data a person wants to encrypt. A person needs to have a randomly generated key before sending an encoded message or data to the person at the receiving end. Through this key, the receiver also can decrypt them. 

However, three encryption levels stay at work:

• Plain text
• The encrypted text (ciphertext)
• Decrypted text (same as the initial plain text)

Now let’s learn about different types of encryption that can help you secure your personal as well as business data.  

Different Types of Encryption:

As technology advances day by day, modern encryption techniques have taken over the outdated ones in due time. Generally, there are several different types of encryption software available that have made the encryption job very easy. Here is a list of highly advanced encryption types to know:

1.   Triple DES encryption algorithm

Triple Data Encryption Algorithm or the Triple-DES generally uses symmetric encryption. It is an advanced version of DES block cipher, which is usually used to have a 56-bit key. 

However, as the name suggests, the TDES encrypts data usually using a 56-bit key, making it a 168-bit key. It generally works in three phases when a person is encrypting the data. They-

• encrypt
• decrypt
• re-encrypt.

Likewise, the decryption phases would be of the following three stages. They are;

• decrypt
• encrypt
• decrypt again

2.   The Triple-DES Encryption Model

Since it usually encrypts data thrice, therefore it is quite slow when it is compared to any other type of encryption. Not only that, but this type also encrypts the data in shorter block lengths. Therefore it becomes fairly easy for the user to decrypt the data during the entire encryption process. Hence, there is a much higher risk of data theft in this type of encryption. 

However, before all the other modified types of encryptions emerged, it was the most recommended and most widely adopted type of algorithm. Even though it is phasing out, many financial and business organizations still use this encryption type to protect their data.

3.   The AES Type of Encryption

The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is also a type of symmetric encryption based on the Rijndael algorithm. It generally uses the block-cipher and encrypts one fixed-size block at a fixed time. It usually works in 128-bit or 192-bit but also can be extended up to the 256-bit key length. There are usually different rounds to encrypt data in every bit.

For instance, 128-bit generally had ten rounds, whereas the192-bit will have 12 rounds and so on. It is generally considered one of the best encryption algorithms available nowadays because it was developed by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. It is also known as one of the secured types of encryptions as it usually works on a single private key.

4.   The RSA type of Encryption

The Rivest–Shamir–Adleman (RSA) encryption is an asymmetric cipher that functions on two types of keys, i.e., a public key for the encryption and a private key used for decryption. 

This is considered the best encryption algorithm, and it functions on the 1024-bit and can also extend up to 2048-bit key length. This means that the larger the key size is, the slower the whole encryption process becomes.

5.   RSA Encryption Model

Due to the larger key size, it is also known to be one of the strongest encryption types one can get. It is also considered an encryption standard for the data shared over the internet because it is generally considered the most secure encryption algorithm. 

Compared to the other types of encryption available, the RSA always gives the hackers quite a tough time because of the length of the keys it usually works with.

6.   Blowfish Encryption

It is another type of encryption algorithm which is designed to replace the DES. Blowfish is a symmetric block cipher, which usually works on a variable key length from 32 bits to 448 bits. Since it is a block cipher, it generally divides the data or a message into fixed 64-bit blocks when encrypting and decrypting data.

It was generally designed to function fast and is usually available as free public encryption software that anyone can use. It is neither patented nor licensed. Multiple times earlier, it has been tested for its speed, efficiency, and security, being a public encryption platform.

Many organizations also claim that no one has successfully hacked it. Hence, the Blowfish has become a choice for the vendors and e-commerce platforms because of helping them secure payments, passwords, and other confidential information.

7.   Twofish Encryption

It is a symmetric block cipher. Twofish is the most advanced version of the Blowfish encryption. It usually has a block size of 128-bits and can also be extended to the 256-bit key length. Like other symmetric ciphers, it also breaks the data into fixed-length blocks. 

However, it usually functions in between 16 rounds regardless of how large the data is. Amongst the various types of encryption, this one is very flexible. It allows a person to choose the encryption process quickly while the key setup is slow and vice versa.

Since this one is license-free and considerably quite fast, a person has full control over it compared to other types of encryption. If AES had not become the best encryption algorithm globally, Twofish would have been considered the best one.

8.   FPE or Format-Preserving Encryption

The Format Preserving Encryption (FPE) is a fairly new type of encryption method. It usually encrypts the data in a similar format. For example, suppose a person has encrypted a password with six letters, five numbers, and four special letters. In that case, the output here will be a different combination of a similar type of format. 

In other words, if a person uses this type of encryption technique, it will preserve the format of the plain text, i.e., after encryption, the structure of the data will remain the same. This type is widely used in financial database systems, banking systems, retail, etc.

Applications of the Encryption

Another factor that needs to be addressed is how to make sure that the message of a person sent does not get altered or changed. For that, an individual needs to know about the following encryption applications that will make sure of that also.

Hashes

Once a person has chosen his/her desired encryption type, they also need to make sure that their data is not altered, authentic and verified. For that, they also need to use hashes. They are a one-way function that generally takes a large data set and converts them into very small standard-size data. 

A person can also create a unique fingerprint that will remain as the proof of their data which has not been altered during different encryption levels. The outcome of hashing is called the hash value or hash digest.

The Hashing algorithm

If by any chance a person has a doubt of the data being changed or altered by someone, the person can always compare the original hash of his/her data with that of the new one because the two differently altered data cannot produce the same hashes. 

The server usually searches for the associated hash value. The password through which a person has entered is hashed with the same algorithm using which it was encrypted. If it matches with the already stored hash value, then it is valid as well as authenticated.

Digital Certificates

Once a person has identified that his/her encrypted information has not been altered, it is also necessary to identify which source the encrypted information has come from and decrypt it. This is where the digital certificates come in, also known as identity certificates or public-key certificates.

Benefits of Data Encryption

Encryption generally plays a very important role in securing different types of information technology (IT) properties. It generally provides the following features;

• It is confidential when it encodes the message's content.
• The authentication generally verifies the origin of a message.
• The integrity generally verifies the contents of a message that have not been changed since it was sent from the sender.
• The nonrepudiation feature prevents the senders from denying they sent the encrypted message.

Encryption is most commonly used to protect data in transit as well as the data at rest. Every time someone uses an ATM or buys something online for him/her with a smartphone or a tablet, encryption is generally used here to protect the information that can be relayed. 

Nowadays, businesses are increasingly relying on encryption to protect their applications and all the sensitive information from the reputational damage of their company when there is a data breach. There are three major components required in any encryption system: the data, the encryption engine, and the key management. 

Note: In the application architectures, all the three components usually run or are stored in separate places to reduce the chance of compromising any single component that could compromise the entire system.

Conclusion

That's all! Now you've learned about all the different types of encryption. It's time to check the technicalities of each encryption method and choose the most suited one for your business. 

However, data encryption has seen a huge surge in its usage through the past few years. Before that, most people and businesses were unaware of encrypting their stored data. But now, data encryption is used in every aspect, even in the VPN industry. Yes, reliable VPNs like VPN Surf encrypt your data while setting up a virtual connection. Hence, you can see how the world of encryption is evolving day by day. If you have further queries, drop a comment in the below box.