The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):
Data Encryption Standard
DES
(DES) The NBS's popular, standard encryption algorithm.
It is a product cipher that operates on 64-bit blocks of
data, using a 56-bit key. It is defined in FIPS 46-1 (1988)
(which supersedes FIPS 46 (1977)). DES is identical to the
ANSI standard Data Encryption Algorithm (DEA) defined in
ANSI X3.92-1981.
DES has been implemented in VLSI. SunOS provides a des
command which can make use of DES hardware if fitted. Neither
the software nor the hardware are supposed to be distributed
outside the USA.
Unix manual pages: des(1), des(3), des(4).
(1994-12-06)