ClatSecure Encryption Key Generator

Overview

This project implements AES key generation and encryption utilities in Python, including:

• 128-bit, 192-bit & 256-bit AES encryption key generation using Argon2i for key derivation.
• AES key expansion and encryption round functionality with S-Box, Rcon, and XOR operations.

Key Features

• Generates secure AES keys with high entropy.
• Supports encryption rounds compliant with AES.
• Provides functionality for key expansion, round transformations, and state operations.

Installation

Required Python Libraries

The following libraries are needed to run the script:

1. os: For generating secure random salts.
2. numpy: For efficient matrix manipulations and transformations.
3. argon2-cffi: For cryptographic key derivation using Argon2.
4. pystyle for branding

Install the dependencies using pip:

pip install numpy argon2-cffi pystyle

How It Works

1. Key Derivation

Keys are derived from a password using Argon2i with a randomly generated 16-byte salt. This ensures secure and reproducible keys, ideal for cryptographic purposes.

2. AES Key Expansion

The generated key undergoes an expansion process to create round keys used during encryption:

• Rcon and S-Box operations are applied for non-linear transformations.
• Intermediate keys are XORed to create the expanded keys for each round.

3. Encryption Rounds

The state matrix is transformed in the following sequence:

1. SubBytes: Substitutes bytes using the AES S-Box.
2. ShiftRows: Rotates rows of the state matrix.
3. MixColumns: Combines columns (simplified in this implementation).
4. AddRoundKey: XORs the state with the current round key.

4. Final Round

The final round omits the MixColumns step:

1. SubBytes
2. ShiftRows
3. AddRoundKey

Usage

Running the Script

1. Enter a password (for key deriviation) when prompted. The script will generate 100 AES keys, apply the encryption rounds, and display the final state in hexadecimal format.
2. Open the python file.

Example Output

Enter password: mypassword Final state (hexadecimal): C0A1B2C3D4E5F60789AB12CD34EF5678

Limitations

• MixColumns: This implementation uses a simplified version, not the GF(2^8) operations defined in the AES standard.

Applications

• Encrypting sensitive data using AES encryption.
• Secure password-derived key generation for cryptographic use.
• Testing and learning cryptographic algorithms.

License

This project is open-source under the Apache 2.0 License.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to open issues or submit pull requests to improve functionality or compliance with AES standards.

Histograms of outputs:

Author

Joshua M Clatney (Clats97)

Ethical Pentesting Enthusiast

Copyright 2024-2025 Joshua M Clatney (Clats97) All Rights Reserved

DISCLAIMER: This project comes with no warranty, express or implied. The author is not responsible for abuse, misuse, or vulnerabilities. Please use responsibly and ethically in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, legislation and best practices.