SSH Key
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"Algorithms
| Algorithm Name | Type | Security Level | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| AES | Symmetric | Highly Secure | TLS, File Encryption, VPNs |
| ChaCha20 | Symmetric | Highly Secure | TLS, Mobile Encryption |
| DES | Symmetric | Weak (Deprecated) | Legacy Systems |
| 3DES | Symmetric | Moderate | Legacy Banking Systems |
| Blowfish | Symmetric | Moderate | File Encryption, VPNs |
| RSA | Asymmetric | Secure (With Large Keys) | Digital Signatures, TLS, SSH |
| Curve25519 | Asymmetric | Highly Secure | TLS, Cryptographic Wallets |
| NIST | Asymmetric | Highly Secure | TLS, Cryptographic Wallets |
| Diffie-Hellman | Asymmetric | Secure | Key Exchange, VPNs |
| DSA | Asymmetric | Secure | Digital Signatures |
| Kyber | Asymmetric | Post-Quantum Secure | Key Exchange, TLS |
| Dilithium | Asymmetric | Post-Quantum Secure | Digital Signatures |
| Falcon | Asymmetric | Post-Quantum Secure | Digital Signatures |
| BIKE | Asymmetric | Post-Quantum Secure | Key Exchange |
| NTRU | Asymmetric | Post-Quantum Secure | Public Key Encryption |
| SPHINCS+ | Asymmetric | Post-Quantum Secure | Digital Signatures |
Curve25519
Crate: ring Type: Asymmetric Security: Highly Secure Use Cases: TLS, Cryptographic Wallets Key Exchange Method: Public/Private Key Computational Complexity: High
Curve25519 is a high-speed elliptic curve designed for use in asymmetric cryptography and key agreement.
Key features:
- 32-byte public keys
- 32-byte private keys
- Provides ~128 bits of security
- Fast and constant-time operations
- Built into many protocols like TLS 1.3
NIST
Crate: ring Type: Asymmetric Security: Highly Secure Use Cases: TLS, Cryptographic Wallets Key Exchange Method: Public/Private Key Computational Complexity: High
NIST elliptic curves are standardized curves commonly used in cryptographic protocols. In Rust, you can use them via the ring crate:
Key features:
- P-256: 256-bit keys (~128-bit security)
- P-384: 384-bit keys (~192-bit security)
- P-521: 521-bit keys (~256-bit security)
- Widely used in PKI and TLS
- FIPS 140-2 validated implementations available
NTRU
Crate: pgcrypto-ntru
NTRU (N-th degree TRUncated polynomial ring) is a lattice-based cryptosystem.
Key features:
- Post-quantum secure
- Fast encryption/decryption operations
- Compact keys and ciphertexts
- Believed resistant to quantum computer attacks
- Active area of research and standardization
AES - Advanced Encryption Standard (Symmetric)
AES is a widely-used symmetric block cipher providing fast, secure encryption. In Rust, you can use it via the aes-gcm crate for authenticated encryption:
Key features:
- Supports 128-bit, 192-bit, and 256-bit key sizes
- GCM mode provides authenticated encryption
- CBC mode available for legacy compatibility
- Fast hardware acceleration on modern CPUs
- FIPS certified implementations available
ChaCha20 (Symmetric)
ChaCha20 is a high-performance stream cipher that’s often paired with Poly1305 for authenticated encryption. It’s designed to be faster than AES on platforms without dedicated hardware acceleration. In Rust, you can use it via the chacha20poly1305 crate:
Key features:
- 256-bit key size
- 96-bit nonce
- High performance in software
- No padding required
- Authenticated encryption with Poly1305
- Widely used in TLS 1.3 and WireGuard
Terminology
Asymmetric
Asymmetric algorithms use a public key and a private key. They are used when you want to publicly share an encryption key and keep the decryption key private.
Symmetric
Symmetric algorithms have one key that encrypts and decrypts the data.