Empirical Comparison Study of RC4 and RSA Algorithms

الملخص

This study presents an empirical comparison between the RC4 and RSA encryption algorithms, focusing on their performance, security characteristics, and practical applicability in file encryption scenarios. RC4, a stream cipher known for its simplicity and speed, was evaluated alongside RSA, an asymmetric encryption algorithm widely used for secure communications. The experiments involved encrypting and decrypting various file types, including text and image files ranging from 10 KB to 200 KB, using both algorithms. Results showed that RC4 significantly outperforms RSA in terms of encryption and decryption speed, making it suitable for performance-sensitive applications. However, RC4's well-documented cryptographic weaknesses, such as biased key scheduling and vulnerability to attacks, limit its use in secure environments. RSA, although computationally slower, offers robust security for tasks such as digital signatures and key exchange when implemented with appropriate key lengths. The study concludes that while RC4 may be acceptable for non-sensitive or internal data, RSA remains the preferred choice for security-critical applications. These findings reinforce the need for hybrid cryptographic systems that balance speed and security, especially in modern data protection architectures.