README.md

Text Encryption Using Cryptographic Algorithms

Description

This project implements a text encryption and decryption system using symmetric cryptography. It ensures unique ciphertext outputs for identical inputs by using a random IV and salt.

Algorithm Used

• AES-256-CBC (Symmetric Encryption)

Features

• Encrypts user text securely
• Decrypts encrypted text
• Uses random IV and salt
• Same input produces different encrypted output

Technologies Used

• Node.js (Crypto module)
• Dotenv (Environment Management)

How Encryption Works

1. User provides plaintext and password
2. A random salt is generated
3. A random IV is generated
4. AES-256-CBC encrypts the data
5. Encrypted text is returned

Learning Outcomes Achieved

• Symmetric Encryption Basics: Utilized the AES-256-CBC algorithm for high-security data protection.
• IV/Nonce Handling: Implemented a random Initialization Vector (IV) for every encryption process. This ensures that the same plaintext input results in a unique ciphertext output every time.
• Secure Key Storage: Used environment variables (`.env`) and `.gitignore` to prevent sensitive cryptographic keys from being exposed in source control.

How to Run

1. Clone the repository.
2. Run `npm install` to install dependencies (`express`, `dotenv`).
3. Create a `.env` file in the root directory and add: `ENCRYPTION_KEY=your_32_character_secret_key_here`
4. Run `node app.js` to see the encryption/decryption in action.

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