Darren Chaker Explores Encryption Algorithms

AES-256 is a symmetric 256-bit algorithm with fast performance and no practical attacks over more than two decades; it is used for disk encryption, file encryption, VPNs, BitLocker, and VeraCrypt.

ChaCha20 is a symmetric 256-bit algorithm with very fast performance on mobile, used for TLS, mobile devices, and software encryption.

RSA-4096 is an asymmetric 4096-bit algorithm with slow performance, used for key exchange and digital signatures.

Ed25519 is an asymmetric 256-bit algorithm with fast performance, used for SSH keys and digital signatures.

XChaCha20-Poly1305 is an AEAD 256-bit algorithm for authenticated encryption with large nonces; NIST finalized its first post-quantum standards in 2024, including ML-KEM and ML-DSA, and Grover's algorithm halves effective key length, leaving AES-256 with 128-bit security against quantum attacks.