What is 128-bit encryption, and how does it work?
Encryption is a sophisticated scrambling method designed to prevent unauthorized eavesdropping on electronic data. Encryption works by processing a piece of information with a mathematical formula (called an algorithm) that converts the information into a meaningless string of letters and numbers. For example, the sentence “This is a secret” when encrypted may look like “as03xx1a79x!dqt.”. This encrypted string of information can be sent over the Internet with the likelihood that anyone intercepting the message would not be able to comprehend it. When the string does reach its intended destination, a similar mathematical formula is applied to the string to decrypt it. 128-bit encryption refers to the size of the key used to encrypt the message. A longer key means the encryption is more “random,” and someone attempting to decipher the message would have to try more combinations of keys. Each extra bit in a key doubles the complexity of the key.
