Techniques for secure data transfer

Abstract

The Advanced Encryption Standard better known as the AES algorithm is a symmetric (uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt) cryptographic technique used in most of today’s classified and unclassified data transfers. The AES algorithm provides data transfers with layers of security through its mathematical complexity. Alongside this technique of encryption, the act of concealing data within different objects is now becoming an essential component in the art of secure data transfer. This method of hiding secret messages within a file type is known as Steganography. Even though these two elements of secure data transfer differ, they both share the same objective namely to protect the integrity of the data. This paper provides an explanation of Steganography and AES algorithm and how they can be used together to enhance the security of data. The experiments that this paper demonstrates used the AES-256 algorithm.