Encryption Types Cheatsheet
Comprehensive reference for encryption types covering Symmetric Encryption (AES, DES), Asymmetric Encryption (RSA, ECC), and Hashing (SHA-256, MD5) with visual diagrams, comparisons, and real-world applications for securing data.
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Understanding Encryption Types
Encryption is the process of converting plain text data into an unreadable format (cipher text) to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access. There are three fundamental types of cryptographic techniques:
- Symmetric Encryption: Uses the same key for both encryption and decryption
- Asymmetric Encryption: Uses a pair of keys (public and private) for encryption and decryption
- Hashing: One-way transformation that cannot be reversed
Symmetric Encryption
Same Key for Encryption & Decryption
Both sender and receiver use the identical secret key to encrypt and decrypt messages. Fast and efficient for large amounts of data.
Plain Text
Secret Key
Encryption
Cipher Text
Secret Key
Decryption
Plain Text
Common Symmetric Algorithms
AES
Advanced Encryption Standard
- • Key sizes: 128, 192, 256 bits
- • Industry standard
- • Very secure and fast
DES
Data Encryption Standard
- • 56-bit key size
- • Legacy algorithm
- • Not recommended
3DES
Triple DES
- • 168-bit key size
- • More secure than DES
- • Being phased out
Use Cases
- ✓ File encryption (disk, archives)
- ✓ Database encryption
- ✓ VPN tunnels (IPSec, WireGuard)
- ✓ Encrypted messaging
- ✓ WiFi security (WPA2/WPA3)
- ✓ SSL/TLS session encryption
Asymmetric Encryption
Different Keys for Encryption & Decryption
Uses a pair of mathematically related keys: public key (for encryption) and private key (for decryption). Public key can be shared freely.
Plain Text
Public Key
Encryption
Cipher Text
Private Key
Decryption
Plain Text
Common Asymmetric Algorithms
RSA
Rivest-Shamir-Adleman
- • Key sizes: 1024-4096 bits
- • Most widely used
- • Good for signatures
ECC
Elliptic Curve Cryptography
- • Smaller key sizes
- • More efficient than RSA
- • Modern standard
ElGamal
ElGamal Encryption
- • Based on discrete log
- • Used in PGP/GPG
- • Secure but slower
Use Cases
- ✓ SSH key authentication
- ✓ SSL/TLS certificates - test yours
- ✓ Digital signatures
- ✓ Email encryption (PGP/GPG)
- ✓ Code signing
- ✓ Blockchain and cryptocurrencies
Hashing
One-Way Transformation (Cannot Be Reversed)
Converts data of any size into a fixed-size hash value. The process is irreversible - you cannot get the original data back from the hash.
Plain Text
Hash Function
(SHA-256, MD5, etc.)
Hashed Text
Common Hashing Algorithms
SHA-256
Secure Hash Algorithm 256
- • 256-bit hash output
- • Very secure
- • Widely recommended
MD5
Message Digest 5
- • 128-bit hash output
- • Fast but vulnerable
- • Not for security
bcrypt
Password Hashing
- • Adaptive cost factor
- • Built-in salting
- • Best for passwords
Use Cases
- ✓ Password storage
- ✓ Data integrity verification
- ✓ Digital signatures
- ✓ File checksums
- ✓ Blockchain transactions
- ✓ Certificate fingerprints
Comparison Table
| Feature | Symmetric | Asymmetric | Hashing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keys Used | Same key for both | Public + Private key pair | No keys (one-way) |
| Speed | ⚡ Very Fast | 🐢 Slow | ⚡ Fast |
| Security Level | High (if key secure) | Very High | Irreversible |
| Key Distribution | ❌ Difficult | ✅ Easy (public key) | N/A |
| Data Size | Any size | Limited by key size | Fixed output size |
| Reversible | ✅ Yes (with key) | ✅ Yes (with private key) | ❌ No (one-way) |
| Best For | Large data encryption | Key exchange, signatures | Passwords, integrity |
| Examples | AES, DES, 3DES | RSA, ECC, ElGamal | SHA-256, MD5, bcrypt |
Security Best Practices
Do's
- ✓ Use AES-256 for symmetric encryption
- ✓ Use RSA-2048+ or ECC for asymmetric
- ✓ Use bcrypt/Argon2 for password hashing
- ✓ Always use salt with hashes
- ✓ Keep private keys secure and encrypted
- ✓ Rotate encryption keys regularly
- ✓ Use strong random number generators
- ✓ Implement proper key management - see our Linux hardening guide
Don'ts
- ✗ Don't use DES or MD5 for security
- ✗ Don't store passwords in plain text
- ✗ Don't implement your own crypto
- ✗ Don't use weak key sizes (RSA < 2048)
- ✗ Don't share private keys
- ✗ Don't reuse encryption keys
- ✗ Don't use simple hashing for passwords
- ✗ Don't hardcode encryption keys
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