What is AES 128 Bit Encryption and How Secure AES 128 Bit is?

AES 128 Bit Encryption: What is it and is 128 bit AES encryption secure?

As technology continues to advance, keeping sensitive data safe has never been more important. Be it online banking to personal communication, sensitive information is transmitted over the internet every day, making it vulnerable to cyber attacks. To safeguard this information, encryption technology is used, and one of the most popular encryption algorithms is AES 128-bit encryption. Organizations across the globe rely on AES encryption and RSA Encryption as the gold standard for protecting sensitive information.

AES stands for Advanced Encryption Standard that emerged as a superior encryption model to the widely-used Data Encryption Standard (DES) due to the latter’s vulnerability to brute force attacks. Organizations across the globe rely on AES encryption as the gold standard for protecting sensitive information. With AES, you can secure your data in three different strengths: 128, 192, and 256 bits.

However, in this blog, we will explore what AES 128-bit encryption is, how it works, and why it is an important tool for protecting sensitive data.

What is AES 128 Bit Encryption?

AES 128 is an example of a symmetric encryption technique that encrypts and decrypts data using the same cryptographic key, thus making it a quick and effective solution because the same key is utilized for both the encryption and decryption procedures.

It is based on the substitution-permutation network (SPN) model. In this algorithm, the input data is split into 128-bit blocks for the algorithm’s use, and each block is then encrypted using a round function. The round function combines substitution and permutation operations and applies them repeatedly to the block of data. The key size determines how many times the round function is used, with the 128-bit key size having 10 rounds.

With the help of the key expansion procedure a larger key schedule is created  which in turn helps in producing the key schedule of each round. When a series of operations on the original key is performed for generating a series of round keys, the key schedule is produced. During every round of the encryption and decryptions, the process uses these round keys.

As there are many different possible keys available with AES’s 128-bit key size, it is challenging for attackers to predict or decrypt the key. The substitution and permutation operations, that make the algorithm resistant to many types of assaults, also boost the program’s security.

Is 128 Bit AES Encryption Secure?

To secure sensitive data, several online software and web packages use AES 128 encryption. These are a few typical examples that proves how secure AES 128 bit is:

• Online communication: Internet communication, including email, instant messaging, and financial transactions, is encrypted using the AES 128 algorithm. This aids in defending against hackers and other online criminals using personal and financial information.

• Data Storage: It encrypts data stored on local devices or cloud servers to shield sensitive data, like passwords and financial information, from unauthorized access.

• Mobile Devices: AES 128 is used by mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. This prevents unauthorized users from accessing private information including contacts, messages, and media files.

• File Transfer: AES 128 is used to encrypt all files sent over the internet, including media files and huge documents. This aids in preventing data during the transfer from being intercepted or accessed by unauthorized parties.

• Software protection: To prevent software from being copied or reverse-engineered, AES 128 is employed. This safeguards intellectual property and is frequently used in commercial software to thwart piracy.

How Secure is 128 Bit AES Encryption Against Brute Force Attacks?

AES-128 is considered to be highly secure against brute force attacks due to the sheer number of possible keys that can be generated. The key size of AES-128 is 128 bits, which means that there are 2^128 possible keys. That’s a staggering number, equivalent to 340 undecillion (340 followed by 36 zeros) possible keys.

A brute force attack on AES-128 involves trying every possible combination of keys until the correct one is found. However, the number of possible keys is so large that it would take billions of years to try them all using even the most powerful computers available today.

To put it in perspective, if every person on Earth were given a computer capable of checking a billion keys per second, and they all worked together to crack a single AES-128 key, it would still take billions of years to try all possible keys.

AES-128 is therefore thought to provide extremely good security against brute force attacks. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the security of AES-128 also depends on the dependability of the key used and the security of the system being used for the encryption. Thus, it’s essential to use strong, unique keys and follow industry best practices for system security in order to obtain the highest level of security.

Concluding Two-Cents on AES 128 Bit Encryption

Having said that, 128 bit AES is a highly complex encryption technique that is utilized by businesses all over the world to protect sensitive data. With 2128 potential key choices, AES-128 provides an astronomically high number of key combinations for 128-bit encryption. AES-128 is hence impossible to crack and impervious to future security flaws.

It’s crucial to remember that correct implementation and key management are necessary for AES-128 encryption to function well. Insecure key storage makes it simple for hackers to access private information. In order to ensure that AES-128 offers a strong protection against potential assaults, it is crucial to adhere to standard practices for key management.