Comparative Study of File Encryption and Decryption

A Flask web application comparing three encryption algorithms: AES-256-GCM, Ascon-128a, and ChaCha20-Poly1305.

Features

• File Encryption/Decryption: Upload files, choose algorithm, and encrypt/decrypt with passphrase
• Blockchain Ledger: All operations recorded in an immutable blockchain with integrity verification
• Performance Benchmarks: Automated charts comparing encryption/decryption times and file sizes
• Three Algorithms:
  • AES-256-GCM (Advanced Encryption Standard)
  • Ascon-128a (Lightweight authenticated encryption)
  • ChaCha20-Poly1305 (Stream cipher with authentication)

Security Features

• PBKDF2 key derivation (200,000 iterations, SHA-256)
• Random salt generation for each encryption
• Authenticated encryption with associated data (AEAD)
• Blockchain ledger for tamper detection
• Passphrases never stored

Technology Stack

• Python 3.11+
• Flask
• pycryptodome
• ascon
• matplotlib
• pandas
• SQLite

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.11 or higher
• pip (Python package manager)
• Git

Steps

1. Clone the repository: (or download the project files):

   git clone https://github.com/KeertanaHoli/encryption-comparison.git
   cd dec

2. Create a virtual environment (recommended):

   # On Windows
   python -m venv venv
   venv\Scripts\activate
   
   # On macOS/Linux
   python3 -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate

3. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Run the application:

   python app.py

5. Access the web interface:

   • Open your browser and navigate to: http://localhost:5000

Troubleshooting

• ModuleNotFoundError: Ensure your virtual environment is activated and all dependencies are installed
• Port 5000 already in use: Change the port in app.py (line 114): app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=5001, debug=False)
• Permission denied (macOS/Linux): Run chmod +x app.py before executing

Usage

1. Encrypt File: Upload file → Select algorithm → Enter passphrase → Download encrypted file
2. Decrypt File: Upload encrypted file → Enter passphrase → Download decrypted file
3. View Benchmarks: Automatically generated charts from blockchain data
4. Verify Ledger: Check blockchain integrity

project structure

encryption-comparison
├── app.py # Flask application
├── crypto_utils.py # Encryption/decryption logic
├── blockchain.py # Blockchain ledger
├── benchmark.py # Chart generation
├── templates/ # HTML templates
├── storage/ # Encrypted/decrypted files
├── Screenshots/ # Project screenshots for README
└── ledger.db # SQLite blockchain database

Educational Purpose

This application is for educational purposes to demonstrate and compare cryptographic algorithms. Not for production use.

encryption-comparison

Flask web application for comparing AES-256-GCM, Ascon-128a, and ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption algorithms with blockchain-based logging and performance benchmarking.

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screenshots

Application Home Page

Blockchain Ledger

Algorithm Performance Comparison

Performance Metrics Summary

Author

Keertana Holi
Cybersecurity / Cryptography Project

Project Team

• Keertana Gopal Holi
• Keerthana H S
• Savitri
• Narasimha