When a document has been encrypted with say,128 bit...

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Question by NuclearDachshund
Submitted on 8/9/2003
Related FAQ: Cryptography FAQ (01/10: Overview)
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When a document has been encrypted with say,128 bit encryption, what does that mean?

Answer by riordanmr
Submitted on 7/31/2005
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"128 bit encryption" refers to the size of the encryption key. If the encryption method involves both public key (asymmetric) and secret key (symmetric) cryptography--as is the case, for instance, with SSL--the key size generally refers to the secret key cipher (such as AES or DES). 128-bit keys are pretty secure. The security of a cipher generally increases exponentially with the number of bit in a key, so all other things being equal, a 128-bit key would be much more secure than, say, a 56-bit key. However, to play it safe, some prefer to use 256-bit keys in applications where security is paramount.

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