Aha! This is an example of an ambiguous question!

DES is the abbreviation for 'Data Encryption Standard', but it is not the
name of the algorithm which the standard uses (although it is commonly
understood as such), it's the designation of the standard. The algorithm
upon which the DES is based, which was deveoped by IBM, is called Lucifer.

AES is the abbreviation of 'Advanvced Encryption Standard'. The AES is the
successor to the DES and is based on an algorithm known as Rijndael.

'IDEA' is the name of an strong encryption algorithm which arose as a
modified version of an algorithm called PES ('Proposed Encryption
Standard'). IDEA stands for 'International Data Encryption Algorithm'.
IDEA is a de facto standard (used in PGP for example), but it is not and
never was a formal standard, in contrast to DES and AES.

If the writer of the question had used the term 'successor' (presumably
intended?) rather than 'replacement', there would be no ambiguity. The
answer would be a definite NO.

Notwithstanding, I think most cryptographers would agree that replacing
DES was a good i d e a ;-)

Gregory Edwards <edwards@rahul.net> on 01.10.2001 02:18:40

To: Kevin Moker <kevin.moker@snet.net>
cc: cisspstudy@securityfocus.com
Subject: Re: Here's another one...

IDEA is a replacement for DES. It is just not the US Goverment approved
replacement. Think of it as a half step forward, while AES is a full step
forward.

Greg Edwards

On Sun, 30 Sep 2001, Kevin Moker wrote:

>
> · IDEA is a replacement for the DES.
>
> I thought AES is going to replace DES. This is another statement in the
> CISSP Exam books
>
>

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