In this article, we will learn how symmetric-key encryption works from a practical perspective. We will use OpenSSL to put into practice some concepts about symmetric-key encryption. By Sergio Prado.
To follow along with this article and run the commands on your machine, you just need a terminal with a recent version of OpenSSL. Further content discussed:
- Symmetric-key encryption
- Generating a symmetric key
- Encryption with AES-128
- Block cipher modes and ECB
- AES encryption in CBC mode
In a symmetric-key encryption algorithm, the same key is used for both encryption and decryption. This key is usually called a private key, and should stay private, or the security is broken! In this article, we learned some concepts about symmetric encryption, using AES in ECB and CBC modes to encrypt and decrypt data. In the next article, we will deep dive into asymmetric-key encryption and digital signatures. Good read!
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