What are the differences between AES and RSA encryption?

What are the differences between AES and RSA encryption?

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a symmetric encryption method, while RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) is asymmetric. AES uses the same key for encryption and decryption, making it faster and suitable for large data. RSA uses a pair of keys (public and private), which makes it more secure for key exchange but slower for encrypting large amounts of data.

Which one is more secure?

Both AES and RSA are considered secure, but they serve different purposes. AES is very secure for encrypting data, while RSA is secure for transmitting keys. The security of RSA relies on the difficulty of factoring large prime numbers, while AES security depends on the key length.

When should I use AES over RSA?

You should use AES when you need to encrypt large amounts of data quickly, such as files or database entries. Use RSA when you need to securely exchange keys or small amounts of data.

Can you give me examples of when each is used?

Sure! AES is commonly used in file encryption, VPNs, and disk encryption. RSA is often used in secure web communications (SSL/TLS) and digital signatures.