The Data Encryption Standard (DES) is a symmetric-key algorithm used for data encryption. It was developed in the 1970s and became a federal standard in the United States in 1977. DES uses a 56-bit key to encrypt data in 64-bit blocks, making it suitable for securing sensitive information. Despite its early popularity, DES is now considered insecure due to advances in computing power, which allow for brute-force attacks. As a result, it has largely been replaced by more secure algorithms, such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which offers stronger encryption methods and longer key lengths.