AES Encryption
AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a symmetric-key encryption algorithm widely used to secure digital data. It operates on fixed block sizes of 128 bits and supports key lengths of 128, 192, or 256 bits, providing strong security through multiple rounds of substitution, permutation, and mixing operations. It is the standard for encrypting sensitive information in applications ranging from file storage to network communications.
Developers should learn AES encryption when building systems that require data confidentiality, such as securing user passwords, encrypting files, or protecting data in transit over networks. It is essential for compliance with security standards like PCI-DSS or GDPR, and is commonly used in protocols like TLS/SSL, disk encryption tools, and secure messaging apps due to its efficiency and proven resistance to attacks.