Performance analysis of symmetric encryption algorithms for time-critical cybersecurity application

This study presents a comprehensive performance analysis of symmetric encryption algorithms in the context of time-critical cybersecurity applications. We evaluate a diverse set of algorithms, including established standards and emerging ciphers, across multiple performance metrics relevant to resource-constrained and latency-sensitive environments. Our methodology encompasses rigorous testing of stream encryption speed, packet encryption efficiency, and key/IV setup times on a standardized hardware platform. The results reveal significant variations in algorithm performance across different operational scenarios, highlighting the importance of context-specific algorithm selection. Notably, newer algorithms such as STRUMOK and SNOW 2.0 demonstrate impressive performance across multiple metrics, challenging the dominance of traditional standards in certain application areas. We discuss the implications of our findings for various time-critical applications, including IoT device security, real-time control systems, and secure data aggregation in smart grids. Our analysis underscores the complex trade-offs between security, performance, and resource efficiency inherent in symmetric encryption implementation.