A Survey on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES): A Pillar of Modern Cryptography

As the digital landscape expands and our reliance on secure data transmission grows, the adoption of encryption technologies has become paramount. Over time, we have witnessed a progression from rudimentary ciphering methods, like substitution ciphers, to the sophisticated algorithms of today, epitomized by the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). AES's ascendancy to the forefront of encryption can be attributed to its unparalleled security features, surpassing its predecessors such as the Data Encryption Standard (DES). AES boasts robust security measures, rendering it virtually impervious to conventional cryptographic attacks. Its resilience against decryption is underscored by its intricate encryption process, which involves intricate operations such as byte substitution, row shifting, column mixing and round key addition. Conversely, decryption reverses these steps, ensuring the confidentiality of encrypted data remains intact. Despite the emergence of various cryptographic attacks, none have posed a significant threat to a properly implemented Full-AES algorithm. Most attacks target incomplete implementations, highlighting the importance of proper implementation practices in maximizing AES's security benefits. Beyond its security prowess, AES stands out for its efficiency, sustainability and simplicity. Despite its widespread adoption and robustness against cryptanalytic attacks, AES exhibits an intriguing phenomenon known as error propagation. Through theoretical analysis and empirical investigations, we elucidate the mechanisms by which errors propagate within AES, shedding light on the vulnerabilities they introduce. Additionally, we explore the implications of error propagation in practical scenarios, including its impact on cryptographic protocols, error correction mechanisms and overall system reliability. Our findings underscore the importance of comprehensively understanding and mitigating the effects of error propagation in AES implementations, offering insights into enhancing the resilience of cryptographic systems against unforeseen adversities.