AES stands for Advanced Encryption Standard. This is a widely recognized symmetric encryption algorithm that was established by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2001. It plays a crucial role in securing data through encryption, which helps protect sensitive information both in transit and at rest. AES is known for its efficiency and strong security, utilizing key sizes of 128, 192, or 256 bits to provide different levels of security.
The establishment of AES replaced the older Data Encryption Standard (DES) due to DES's vulnerabilities as computing power grew, making it susceptible to brute-force attacks. AES is commonly used across various applications, including government communications, financial transactions, and other critical security uses, solidifying its status as a standard in data encryption practices worldwide. Its implementation ensures that data remains confidential and secure from unauthorized access.