A Python-Based Simulation and Security Analysis of ChaCha20 and AES for Secure Data Transmission in Resource-Constrained Environments

Author(s)	Mr. Jechonia Montecalvo Dungog
Country	Philippines
Abstract	In response to the growing need for efficient cryptographic mechanisms within resource-constrained environments, this study presents a comparative analysis of two widely adopted encryption algorithms: Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and ChaCha20. Using Python-based simulations, the research evaluates each algorithm’s performance based on encryption time, decryption time, and peak memory consumption across varying file sizes. The experimental setup mimics real-world constraints typical of IoT devices and embedded systems. Results indicate that ChaCha20 consistently outperforms AES in terms of speed and memory efficiency, making it a more suitable option for low-resource environments. AES, while secure and robust, demonstrates increasing computational and memory overhead with larger input sizes. The findings support the adoption of lightweight cryptographic algorithms like ChaCha20 in latency-sensitive and memory-limited applications, offering valuable guidance for developers and system architects aiming to optimize security without compromising performance.
Keywords	ChaCha20, AES, lightweight cryptography, resource-constrained environments, Python simulation
Field	Computer > Network / Security
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 6, November-December 2025
Published On	2025-11-22
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.61473
Short DOI	https://doi.org/hbb76n

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