Advantages of Symmetric Key Cryptography
- Speed and efficiency: Symmetric key+ algorithms are better suited for encrypting large volumes of data or for use in real-time communication scenarios as they are faster and less resource-intensive than asymmetric cryptography. SKC algorithms do not involve algebraically mathematical operations.
- Scalability: Because symmetric key algorithms have relatively low computational overhead, they scale well with the number of users and the amount of data being encrypted.
- Simplicity: Symmetric encryption protocols are often more straightforward to implement and understand than asymmetric key methods, and this would go a long way in attracting developers and users.
Symmetric Key Cryptography
Symmetrical Key Cryptography also known as conventional or single-key encryption was the primary method of encryption before the introduction of public key cryptography in the 1970s. In symmetric-key algorithms, the same keys are used for data encryption and decryption. This type of cryptography plays a crucial role in securing data because the same key is used for both encryption and decryption.
In this article, we will cover the techniques used in symmetric key cryptography, its applications, principles on which it works, its types and limitations as well as what type of attacks in the digital world it gets to face.