Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)

Published

November 26, 2001

Author(s)

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Morris J. Dworkin, Elaine Barker, James R. Nechvatal, James Foti, Lawrence E. Bassham, E. Roback, James F. Dray Jr.

Abstract

The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) specifies a FIPS-approved cryptographic algorithm that can be used to protect electronic data. The AES algorithm is a symmetric block cipher that can encrypt (encipher) and decrypt (decipher) information. Encryption converts data to an unintelligible form called ciphertext; decrypting the ciphertext converts the data back into its original form, called plaintext. The AES algorithm is capable of using cryptographic keys of 128, 192, and 256 bits to encrypt and decrypt data in blocks of 128 bits.

Citation

Federal Inf. Process. Stds. (NIST FIPS) - 197

Report Number

197

NIST Pub Series

Federal Inf. Process. Stds. (NIST FIPS)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.FIPS.197

Local Download

Keywords

algorithm, block cipher, ciphertext, cryptographic algorithm, cryptographic keys, decryption, encryption

Citation

(NIST), N. , Dworkin, M. , Barker, E. , Nechvatal, J. , Foti, J. , Bassham, L. , Roback, E. and Dray Jr., J. (2001), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Federal Inf. Process. Stds. (NIST FIPS), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.FIPS.197, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=901427 (Accessed October 21, 2025)