Authenticated Encryption (AE) is a cryptographic process that combines both encryption and authentication in a single operation to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of data. It protects data from unauthorized access and guarantees that the data has not been tampered with during transmission or storage.
In Authenticated Encryption, the sender encrypts the plaintext message using a symmetric encryption algorithm and a secret encryption key. Additionally, a message authentication code (MAC) or a cryptographic hash function is used to generate an authentication tag. The authentication tag is appended to the encrypted ciphertext.
The receiver, upon receiving the ciphertext, decrypts it using the same encryption key used by the sender. After decryption, the receiver recalculates the authentication tag using the decrypted plaintext. If the calculated authentication tag matches the one received with the ciphertext, it indicates that the data has not been altered or tampered with.
The main advantage of Authenticated Encryption is that it ensures both data confidentiality and data integrity, preventing unauthorized access and guaranteeing that the data has not been modified in transit or storage.