This study aims to enhance the RC5 algorithm to improve encryption and decryption speeds in devices with limited power and memory resources. These resource-constrained applications, which range in size from wearables and smart cards to microscopic sensors, frequently function in settings where traditional cryptographic techniques because of their high computational overhead and memory requirements are impracticable. The Enhanced RC5 (ERC5) algorithm integrates the PKCS#7 padding method to effectively adapt to various data sizes. Empirical investigation reveals significant improvements in encryption speed with ERC5, ranging from 50.90% to 64.18% for audio files and 46.97% to 56.84% for image files, depending on file size. A substantial improvement of 59.90% is observed for data files sized at 1500000kb. Partitioning larger files notably reduces encryption time, while smaller files experience marginal benefits. Certain file types benefit from both strategies. Evaluation metrics include encryption execution time and throughput, consistently demonstrating ERC5's superiority over the original RC5. Moreover, ERC5 exhibits reduced power consumption and heightened throughput, highlighting its multifaceted benefits in resource-constrained environments. ERC5 is developed and tested on various file types and sizes to evaluate encryption speed, power consumption, and throughput. ERC5 significantly improves encryption speed across different file types and sizes, with notable gains for audio, image, and large data files. While partitioning smaller files only slightly improves encryption time, larger files partitioning yields faster results. Future research could explore ERC5 optimizations for different computing environments, its integration into real-time encryption scenarios, and its impact on other cryptographic operations and security protocols.
