CompassPC®
Frequently Asked Questions
Encryption
What's the difference between 128-bit, 40-bit and 56-bit encryption?
A 128-bit "high" or "strong" encryption is exponentially more powerful than 40-bit or 56-bit standard encryption. Think of it this way:
- Standard encryption (40-bit or 56-bit) means there are 2 to the 40th power or 2 to the 56th power possible keys that could fit into the lock that holds your account information, but only one that works for each online banking session. So there are many billions of possible keys that could potentially get to your account information, but only that one that works each time you bank online.
- "High" or "strong" encryption (128-bit) means there are 2 to the 128th power (if you were to write that number down, it would be the number 34 with 37 zeroes after it or the notation, 3.4E+38) possible keys that could fit into the lock that holds your account information, but only one that works for each online banking session. So a hacker attempting to get to your account information would need to use a computer with immensely more processing power than for 40-bit or 56-bit standard encryption to find the correct key.
NOTE: The U.S. government lists 128-bit encryption as a federal munition. This means that browsers that offer it can be used only by citizens and permanent residents of the United States and citizens of Canada, and it can only be downloaded to locations in the United States or Canada.
