AES Encryption – Secure Your Data with Advanced Encryption Standard

Shalabh Agarwal Jan 19th, 2024

Currently, as more folks are getting into online activities like partying at home or working from home; using video ads favored by people in daily life to replace the images played on TV series is dramatically fueling a bonfire toward live stream performances. However, the more popular live streaming becomes; the craftier and more frequent are these bad people online. Fortunately, you can guard your videos against these attacks with AES encryption.

In this blog, we will take a closer look at AES encryption. So we’ll explain exactly what it does, who needs to use it, & how safely your videos are kept. We’ll also discuss other ways you can protect your videos. If you use video encryption, your content will be protected from increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.

What is AES Encryption?

AES Encryption

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AES, short for “Advanced Encryption Standard,” is a top-notch way of safeguarding data. Trusted by the U.S. government for its most secret stuff, it’s a global go-to for securing important information in computers and gadgets worldwide.

 When it comes to live video streaming, AES video encryption plays a vital role in ensuring security. If you send files securely, they are most likely encrypted with AES, at 256 or192 strengths (or even 128). 

It’s not just some software trick – AES is everywhere, both in computers and gadgets globally. It’s a big deal for governments and anyone worried about cyber threats. For content creators, especially video makers, online security matters. Whether it’s your cooking tutorials or educational videos, AES is the go-to way to lock up your content and keep it safe from prying eyes.

How AES works?

Next, let’s take a closer look at AES encryption and how it protects your videos. Think of your video as a precious chest and AES encryption is the special lock keeping it sealed up. If someone lacks the key, he won’t be able to unlock and watch the video. All they’ll get is a tangle of jumbled-up stuff. 

AES-encrypted video streaming requires three different kinds of ‘secret keys’, or cryptographs. These keys are especially important because they’re used both to encrypt and decrypt the video. The strength of the AES video encryption depends on the length of these keys (128-bit, 192-bit and 256-bit). In sum, the longer your key is, the more protection it provides for your video.

AES encryption is like a game of hide and seek. The special key and data is mixed up, generating garbled text called “ciphertext.” This ciphertext contains parts of the original information. But computers understand none of this racket without a cipher, an encoder. This is one type of special code that only the right person has who can disentangle this scrambled text, returning it to its original video.

The coolest part? You don’t have to be a computer whiz to understand. Simply log on or go to the designated place, and there you have it. Your video is ready to be watched without a care in the world. 

Like a secret ballistic screen, encryption protects your video from prying eyes. You could compare it to a kind of secret code, keeping the wonder only for those who are chosen & excluded from everyone else.

Who Needs AES Encryption?

AES Encryption

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AES encryption is a useful tool for many people who want to protect their digital goods. This is especially important for companies that share videos selectively.

Now, the most common examples are streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. In terms of their OTT business model, everything depends on people paying to watch what they provide. 

To ensure their content is only seen by those willing to pay, they use AES encryption. It’s like a fortress wall, so that intimacy is required to get through it and enjoy what you find within.

But the importance of encrypted secure video streaming isn’t limited to the entertainment field exclusively. Take government agencies, small to medium-sized businesses, online entertainment services, and educational technology as examples. These industries have a great need for secure video streaming to protect their precious content.

The beauty of this encryption method is its adaptability. Although we have drawn attention to these particular areas, in fact its use extends well beyond the scope of any single industry. Nonetheless, in practice they are mainly these circles which actively grab hold of this technology to protect their content.

Here’s an interesting fact: For businesses, the price of piracy is often much greater than that required to install OTT video encryption technology. This is especially the case for content delivered through online video platforms.

AES-128 or AES-256: Which is More Secure?

AES-128 or AES-256–the choice can leave one scratching his head. It’s a cat and mouse relationship between these two encryption techniques, leaving content providers caught in the middle. So let’s take a closer look at the debate as to which is better.

For encryption needs, AES-128 is like a trusty old friend. It does its job well, but in guarding super sensitive data people tend to favor AES-256. But although AES-256 adds that extra layer of protection, it can slow down the speed at which videos get encrypted and played. It’s like a powerful guard dog which requires lots of computer resources to stay vigilant.

In 2015, however, things took a turn. Since the National Security Agency (NSA) threw in its lot with AES-128 instead of waving its flag, perhaps second choices are best. Nevertheless, both AES-128 and AES-256 are still around today; however, the former is no longer as popular. So, the debate continues!

Conclusion

AES encryption serves as an important barrier, fending off unauthorized intrusion into the kingdom of video. It functions like a special hidden language, protecting the videos both during transmission and after they are received. Only authorized persons can decode them to watch. 

Undoubtedly, AES is an essential security measure for content creators and businesses whose activities depend on secure transmission. Sectors like government and education in particular require it as much protection from any form of theft or dissemination concerning video footage makes that clear.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Ans: AES operates on blocks of data and uses a secret key for both encryption and decryption. It employs multiple rounds of substitution, permutation, and mixing to provide a high level of security.

Ans: AES is considered secure due to its key length options (128, 192, or 256 bits) and the complexity of its algorithm. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) selected AES as the standard for federal use based on its robust security features.

Ans: AES Encryption is versatile and can be applied to various types of data, including financial transactions, personal information, communication, and sensitive files. It is commonly used in securing communications over the internet.

Ans: Yes, AES Encryption is widely used in everyday applications, including secure communication protocols (HTTPS), encrypted file storage, and in various software and hardware implementations to ensure data confidentiality.

Ans: Yes, AES Encryption can be implemented in both software and hardware. Many modern CPUs have specific instructions to accelerate AES operations, making it efficient for various applications.

Shalabh Agarwal - Co-founder, Enveu
Shalabh Agarwal is the co-founder of Enveu, one of the fastest-growing App automation and OTT solutions providers. Shalabh oversees the global businesses for Enveu and has been working in the Technology and SaaS space for over 15 years.

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