When was the Data Encryption Standard (DES) released?

The Data Encryption Standard (DES) was officially released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on January 1, 1977, although its development began earlier. While the training and consultation phases took place, it was on May 17, 1975, that DES was publicly introduced in its first draft form during a meeting held by NIST. This position of DES as a draft implies its creation efforts and discussions for standardization were progressing, making May 17, 1975, significant in the timeline of DES as its inception date.

The confusion often arises around the actual adoption of DES as a standard. It officially became widely recognized and utilized on January 1, 1980, which marked its formal establishment as a federal standard. Understanding these key dates is crucial for recognizing the evolution of encryption standards and their implementation in cybersecurity.