A Comparative Study of Cryptographic Algorithms for Secure Data Transmission

Abstract

In the digital age, secure data transmission is critical to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access, interception, and tampering. Cryptographic algorithms form the backbone of data security, enabling confidentiality, integrity, and authentication. This study presents a comparative analysis of widely used cryptographic algorithms, focusing on their strengths, weaknesses, performance, and suitability for various applications. The primary categories examined include symmetric key algorithms (such as AES, DES, and Blowfish), asymmetric key algorithms (RSA, ECC), and hashing functions (SHA, MD5). Through rigorous evaluation metrics including encryption/decryption speed, key length, computational complexity, and resistance to known attacks, this paper identifies the optimal algorithms for secure data transmission in different scenarios. Experimental results indicate that Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) offers superior performance and strong security in symmetric key cryptography, while Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) provides efficient and secure solutions in asymmetric cryptography, particularly for resource-constrained environments. The study further investigates trade-offs between security and performance, highlighting how emerging threats necessitate longer key sizes and more robust algorithms. Additionally, hashing algorithms are evaluated for integrity verification, with SHA-2 family outperforming older algorithms like MD5 in collision resistance. The research also discusses the implications of algorithm selection on real-world applications including secure communications, financial transactions, and cloud data protection. In conclusion, this comparative study serves as a practical guide for selecting cryptographic algorithms tailored to specific security requirements and resource limitations. Recommendations emphasize AES and ECC as standards for encryption and key exchange, respectively, while encouraging continuous evaluation as cryptographic research advances. Future work should explore post-quantum cryptography to address the challenges posed by emerging quantum computing technologies.