This section briefly describes each of the encryption algorithms supplied with the Microsoft Base Cryptographic Provider. The internal details of these algorithms are well beyond the scope of this document. For a list of additional reading material, refer to Related Documentation.
The following table lists several encryption algorithms, along with some performance benchmarks. This table was generated by an application using the CryptoAPI on a 120-MHz, Pentium-based computer. These figures are for comparison purposes only.
Cipher |
Cipher Type |
Key Setup Time (microseconds) | Encryption Speed (bytes/second) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DES | 64-bit block | 460 | 1,138,519 |
| RC2 | 64-bit block | 40 | 286,888 |
| RC4 | stream | 151 | 2,377,723 |