SecureLibrary 1.0.0

AES-256 Encryption Library

📌 Overview

This library provides AES-256 encryption and decryption functionalities using a password-based key derivation mechanism. It ensures secure data encryption using industry best practices like PBKDF2 key derivation and CBC mode with proper padding.

📂 Data Structure

• Key Size: 256 bits
• Salt Size: 128 bits
• IV Size: 128 bits
• Iterations: 100,000 (PBKDF2)
• Cipher Mode: CBC (Cipher Block Chaining)
• Padding Mode: PKCS7

🚀 Usage

Encryption

string encryptedText = Encryptor.Encrypt("Your Secret Data", "StrongPassword");
Console.WriteLine(encryptedText);

Decryption

string decryptedText = Encryptor.Decrypt(encryptedText, "StrongPassword");
Console.WriteLine(decryptedText);

🔍 How It Works

1. Key Derivation: The password is processed using PBKDF2 to generate a strong 256-bit key.
2. Salt Generation: A random salt is generated for each encryption to prevent dictionary attacks.
3. IV Generation: A new Initialization Vector (IV) is created to ensure different ciphertexts for the same plaintext.
4. AES Encryption: The plaintext is encrypted using AES-256 in CBC mode with PKCS7 padding.
5. Storage: The salt, IV, and encrypted data are combined and stored securely.
6. Decryption Process: The salt and IV are extracted, the key is rederived using PBKDF2, and AES-256 decrypts the ciphertext back to plaintext.

✅ Advantages

• Strong Security: Uses AES-256, the highest standard in symmetric encryption.
• Password-Based Key Derivation: PBKDF2 makes brute-force attacks highly difficult.
• Random Salt & IV: Ensures unique encryption outputs for identical inputs.
• Integrity Protection: Prevents common vulnerabilities like key reuse.
• Ease of Use: Simple API for encrypting and decrypting data.

🔒 Best Practices

• Always use a strong, unique password for encryption.
• Do not hardcode passwords in your application; use a secure vault.
• Store the encrypted data securely, preferably in a protected database.
• Regularly rotate passwords to maintain security.
• Use HMAC authentication for additional integrity verification if required.
• Implement secure key management practices to avoid unauthorized access.

📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.