A Comparative Study of Symmetric Encryption Algorithms and Techniques for Enhancing Smartphone Security

The increasing reliance on smartphones has heightened the need for robust data security. Symmetric cryptography, recognized for its efficiency and speed, plays a crucial role in safeguarding data on mobile devices. This study evaluates the performance of selected symmetric encryption algorithms, DES, 3DES, AES, Twofish, and Blowfish on smartphones. The algorithms were tested for encryption time, decryption time, and avalanche effect using file sizes of 1000KB, 2000KB, 3000KB, 4000KB, and 5000KB. The avalanche effect was also assessed for each algorithm with block sizes and key sizes tailored to their specifications. The results reveal that AES and Twofish exhibit the lowest encryption and decryption times, particularly for large files, demonstrating superior efficiency. For avalanche effect, AES achieved 53.9063%, surpassing the critical 50% threshold, followed by 3DES (50%), Blowfish (46.875%), Twofish (46.094%), and DES (23.4375%). AES strikes an optimal balance between speed and security, making it the most suitable encryption algorithm for smartphone applications