Langmeier Backup

Backing up your important data regularly is essential. To ensure that your information remains protected from unauthorized access, it is highly recommended to use encryption when performing data backups. But which level of encryption is right for you? The most common standards—both supported by Langmeier Backup—are 128-bit and 256-bit encryption keys.

128-bit Encryption – Secure and Universally Applicable

Currently, 128-bit encryption is considered secure for most applications. If an attacker attempts to break a 128-bit key using brute-force methods, they would face 2¹²⁸ possible combinations—a number with 39 digits. With today’s hardware, 128-bit encryption can be implemented efficiently and without significant performance loss.

256-bit Encryption – Enhanced Security, Higher Requirements

Is 256-bit encryption necessary for your data backup? While this level of encryption offers even greater security, it also demands more powerful hardware and additional processing time. The number of possible keys increases exponentially to 2²⁵⁶. For context, 2¹²⁹ is already twice as large as 2¹²⁸.

As computing power continues to advance, encryption methods that are secure today may become vulnerable in the future. For this reason, organizations such as the US National Security Agency require 256-bit encryption for top-secret documents. One driving factor is the emergence of quantum computers, which, due to their unique properties, could potentially reduce the effective strength of encryption keys. In simple terms, a quantum computer could approach a 256-bit key as if it were only 128 bits, and a 128-bit key as if it were just 64 bits—an encryption level that is already considered insecure today. The arrival of powerful quantum computers is only a matter of time.

Recommendation

If data confidentiality is not your highest priority and your hardware is not particularly powerful, 128-bit encryption is currently sufficient for most use cases. However, if you wish to maximize security or need to protect sensitive information, you should opt for 256-bit encryption in Langmeier Backup.

Look it up further: Data backup, Encryption, Langmeier Backup

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