AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a widely used, highly secure encryption algorithm that is used to protect sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, passwords, and other confidential data. It uses a symmetric key, which means that the same key is used to encrypt and decrypt the data.

Here’s a simple explanation of how AES works:

  1. The sender uses the AES encryption algorithm and a secret key to encrypt the data. The encrypted data is called a “ciphertext.”
  2. The sender transmits the ciphertext to the recipient over a network, such as the internet.
  3. The recipient uses the AES decryption algorithm and the same secret key to decrypt the ciphertext and recover the original data.

AES is known for its strong security and is approved for use by the US government and many other organizations around the world. It uses a key length of 128, 192, or 256 bits, depending on the specific implementation, which makes it resistant to attacks.

AES is used in a variety of applications, including encrypting data transmitted over networks, securing online transactions, and protecting data stored on devices such as laptops and smartphones.