Minimal Key Lengths for Symmetric Ciphers to Provide Adequate Commercial Security. A Report by an Ad Hoc Group of Cryptographers and Computer Scientists

Abstract

Abstract : Encryption plays an essential role in protecting the privacy of electronic information against threats from a variety of potential attackers. In so doing, modern cryptography employs a combination of conventional or symmetric cryptographic systems for encrypting data and public key or asymmetric systems for managing the keys used by symmetric systems. Assessing the strength required of the symmetric cryptographic systems is therefore an essential step in employing cryptography for computer and communication security.