Blowfish Encryption and Decryption in Java

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In this tutorial you will learn about blowfish symmetric key cryptographic algorithm and also implement Blowfish Encryption and Decryption in Java.

  • Blowfish is a symmetric block cipher encryption algorithm designed by Bruce Schneier in 1993.
  • Blowfish operates on fixed-size blocks (64 bits).
  • Blowfish supports key sizes ranging from 32 bits to 448 bits, making it versatile for various security requirements.
  • Blowfish encryption involves a series of rounds, each consisting of key-dependent substitution and permutation operations, ensuring strong encryption of data.

Blowfish Encryption in Java

To implement Blowfish encryption in Java, we need to use Bouncy Castle or the built-in Java Cryptography Extension (JCE).

import javax.crypto.Cipher;
import javax.crypto.KeyGenerator;
import javax.crypto.SecretKey;
import java.util.Base64;

public class BlowfishEncryption {

    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        String plainText = "Sensitive information to encrypt";
        
        // Generate a Blowfish key
        KeyGenerator keyGenerator = KeyGenerator.getInstance("Blowfish");
        keyGenerator.init(128); // Key size in bits
        SecretKey secretKey = keyGenerator.generateKey();
        
        // Initialize the cipher for encryption
        Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance("Blowfish");
        cipher.init(Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE, secretKey);
        
        // Perform encryption
        byte[] encryptedBytes = cipher.doFinal(plainText.getBytes());
        
        // Convert encrypted bytes to Base64 for storage or transmission
        String encryptedText = Base64.getEncoder().encodeToString(encryptedBytes);
        System.out.println("Encrypted Text: " + encryptedText);
    }
}

Decryption with Blowfish in Java

To implement Blowfish decryption in Java, we need to use Bouncy Castle or the built-in Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) as shown below.

public class BlowfishDecryption {

    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        String encryptedText = "Encrypted text generated from encryption example";
        
        // Initialize the cipher for decryption
        Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance("Blowfish");
        cipher.init(Cipher.DECRYPT_MODE, secretKey); // Use the same secret key
        
        // Perform decryption
        byte[] decryptedBytes = cipher.doFinal(Base64.getDecoder().decode(encryptedText));
        
        // Convert decrypted bytes to String
        String decryptedText = new String(decryptedBytes);
        System.out.println("Decrypted Text: " + decryptedText);
    }
}

Video on using Blowfish algorithm in java

The video provides a step-by-step guide on utilizing the Blowfish algorithm for encrypting and decrypting information in Java.

Best Practices for Blowfish Encryption in Java

  • Use a secure key generation mechanism to generate Blowfish keys.
  • Store and manage encryption keys securely, following industry-standard key management practices.
  • Consider using key sizes appropriate for your security requirements (e.g., 128 bits or higher).
  • Keep encryption and decryption processes efficient and optimized for performance.
  • Regularly update your encryption libraries and follow security best practices to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.

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