Enhanced RC5 Algorithm using Parallel Computing for Communication Networks

One of the main disadvantages of symmetric key algorithms in compar-ison with asymmetric key ones is their lower security level due to theirshorter key length. Indeed, increasing the number of bits that conformsthe key used by a symmetric cryptography algorithm will increase its se-curity level with a cost on its performance. Expanding a key in symmetriccryptography is not an easy task due to algorithms are designed to workwith keys of a fixed maximum length. This paper presents an alterna-tive design of the RC5 cryptography algorithm with an enhanced securitylevel achieved through a key expansion mechanism with Parallel Comput-ing processing. Although the design was created for the RC5 algorithmthe main idea might be applied to other block cipher algorithms applyingthe same criteria. This methodology makes feasible to obtain a robustsymmetric key algorithm implemented in software with an acceptable per-formance in comparison with other techniques such as implementations inhardware, reduction in the amount of data, improvements in the key ex-change process, advanced high performance computing, and many otherstechniques