Skip to main content

Exploring Data Encryption Standard (DES) Through CrypTool Implementation: A Comprehensive Examination and Historical Perspective

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Emerging Technologies in Computing (iCETiC 2023)

Abstract

DES has been serving as the official federal standard for data encryption since the 70s, until it was replaced in 2001 by the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). This paper thoroughly examines the encryption and decryption procedure, describing in detail and illustrating each step of the process. Additionally, we showcase the practical implementation of DES using the CrypTool platform, addressing the lack of a comprehensive and user-friendly tutorial on DES within this context. The paper endeavors to address this gap, enhancing the readers’ understanding of the DES operation by delving into its internal mechanism and the transformations the plaintext undergoes to become ciphertext. In addition, we engage in a critical examination of CrypTool's implementation of DES and the platform’s utility as an educational resource, highlighting both its strengths and shortcomings. The review of CrypTool as a learning tool not only provides insights into the practical implementation of DES but also emphasizes the significance of hands-on learning in modern cryptography. Moreover, we present a historical analysis of attempts at breaking the DES cipher, from its approval as a standard until more recent developments, and assess its relevance in today's cryptographic landscape. Ultimately, this paper aspires to serve as a valuable teaching resource for cryptography students and educators, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Data Encryption Standard: Federal information processing standards publication 46. National Bureau of Standards, US Department of Commerce, vol. 23, pp. 1–18 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Luby, M., Rackoff, C.: Pseudo-random permutation generators and cryptographic composition. In: Proceedings of the Eighteenth Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing, pp. 356–363 (1986)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Biryukov, A., De Cannière, C.: Data Encryption Standard (DES). In: van Tilborg H.C.A., Jajodia S. (eds.) Encyclopedia of Cryptography and Security, p. 296. Springer, Boston, MA (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Moratelli, C., Cota, E., Lubaszewski, M.: A cryptography core tolerant to DFA fault attacks. In: SBCCI 2006 – 19th Symposium on Integrated Circuits and Systems Design, pp. 190–195 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Noura, M., Noura, H., Chehab, A., Mansour, M., Couturier, R.: S-DES: An efficient & secure DES variant. In: IEEE Middle East and North Africa Communications Conference (MENACOMM) (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Diffie, W., Hellman, M.E.: Special feature exhaustive cryptanalysis of the NBS data encryption standard. Computer 10(6), 74–84 (1977)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Biham, E., Shamir, A.: Differential Cryptanalysis of the Full 16-Round DES. In: Brickell, E.F. (ed.) CRYPTO 1992. LNCS, vol. 740, pp. 487–496. Springer, Heidelberg (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48071-4_34

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  8. Matsui, M.: Linear cryptanalysis method for DES cipher. In: Helleseth, T. (ed.) EUROCRYPT 1993. LNCS, vol. 765, pp. 386–397. Springer, Heidelberg (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48285-7_33

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. Curtin, M., Dolske, J.: A brute force search of DES keyspace. In: 8th Usenix Symposium, January, pp. 26–29 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Foundation, Electronic Frontier. Cracking DES: Secrets of encryption research, wiretap politics and chip design (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kumar, S., Paar, C., Pelzl, J., Pfeiffer, G., Rupp, A., Schimmler, M.: How to Break DES for BC 8,980. In: SHARCS‘06–Special-purpose Hardware for Attacking Cryptographic Systems, pp. 17–35 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Güneysu, T., Kasper, T., Novotný, M., Paar, C., Rupp, A.: Cryptanalysis with COPACOBANA. IEEE Trans. Comput. 57(11), 1498–1513 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  13. crack.sh The world’s fastest DES cracker Homepage. https://crack.sh/. Last accessed on 19 June 2023

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alba Meça .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Meça, A. (2024). Exploring Data Encryption Standard (DES) Through CrypTool Implementation: A Comprehensive Examination and Historical Perspective. In: Miraz, M.H., Southall, G., Ali, M., Ware, A. (eds) Emerging Technologies in Computing. iCETiC 2023. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 538. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50215-6_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50215-6_10

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-50214-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-50215-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics