← Back to all tools
🔓 DES Encryption / Decryption
Data Encryption Standard — legacy symmetric cipher. Provided for compatibility with older systems.
⚠
DES is cryptographically broken. Its 56-bit key is vulnerable to brute-force attacks. Use this tool only for legacy system compatibility. For new projects, always use AES-256.
Settings
DES
DES key must be exactly 8 characters (64 bits, 56 effective)
Must match IV used during encryption for decryption to work
Input
0 chars
Output
Encrypted / decrypted result will appear here…
About DES
The Data Encryption Standard (DES) was published by NIST in 1977 and was widely used until the late 1990s. It uses a 56-bit key and operates on 64-bit blocks. In 1999, it was publicly broken in under 24 hours using specialized hardware. DES was officially withdrawn as a standard in 2005 and replaced by AES. This tool uses CryptoJS to provide DES compatibility for legacy systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DES still secure?
No. DES uses a 56-bit key which is far too short by modern standards and has been broken. It is officially deprecated and should not be used for any security-sensitive purpose. Use AES-256 instead.
Why is DES included if it is broken?
DES is provided for legacy compatibility only — for example, decrypting old data or working with legacy systems that still require DES. It should never be used for new encryption tasks.
What modes are supported?
Supported modes include CBC (Cipher Block Chaining), ECB (Electronic Codebook), CFB (Cipher Feedback), and OFB (Output Feedback). CBC is the most commonly used mode for DES legacy systems.