Thesis (MSc) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Information Technologies Department

Includes bibliography (sheets 54-62)

ABSTRACT
The unprotected electronic document may be subjected to a data breach, in which
private or sensitive information is stolen, altered, copied, communicated, viewed, or
used without authorization. This study on Data Protection & Evaluation of
Encryption Algorithms compares four encryption algorithms by performance
evaluation method to know the algorithm that encrypts and decrypts files faster in
different size of the data blocks to determine their performance. The study also
evaluate the four most common encryption algorithms like Rivest Cipher4 (RC4)
Algorithms, Rivest Cpher2 Algorithm (RC2), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
and Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES). These encryption algorithms were
analyzed using different data block sizes ranging from 1MB to 3MB with the help of
a simulation comparison technique to know which among those algorithms
encrypt/decrypt documents faster in terms of performance. Simulation results is
given by demonstrating the effectiveness of each algorithm and recommendation is
given for the fastest in data protection before exposing it online. A cryptography
software prototype that will further showcase sequence, class, storyboard and use
case diagram will be provided. The four Encryption Algorithms were analyzed and
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) was discovered to encrypt/decrypt faster in
and was chosen for the prototype.
Keywords: Algorithm, Cryptography, Data Protection, Encryption, Evaluation,