DES
    n 1: a potent estrogen used in medicine and in feed for
         livestock and poultry [syn: diethylstilbestrol,
         diethylstilboestrol, stilbestrol, stilboestrol,
         DES]
    2: synthetic nonsteroid with the properties of estrogen;
       formerly used to treat menstrual problems but was found to be
       associated with vaginal cancers in the daughters of women so
       treated during pregnancy [syn: diethylstilbesterol, DES,
       stilbesterol]

	

	DES
       Data Encryption Standard (cryptography, NIST, IBM)

	

	DES
       Destination End System

	

	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)