A/B Testing Encryption Strength Per-User Calculator FAQ
Answers to common questions about encryption bit strength, keyspace, brute-force estimates, per-user likelihood, and independent user populations.
This FAQ explains what the calculator measures, how to enter inputs, and why its simplified brute-force estimates should not be treated as a complete security assessment.
General calculator questions
What the calculator compares and the meaning of per-user analysis.
What does this encryption strength calculator compare?
It compares two effective encryption strengths using a hypothetical brute-force rate, attack duration per user, and number of independently protected users.
What does per-user mean?
It means every user is assumed to have a separate, independently generated key, and the attack effort is modeled against one user's key.
What is the main result?
The main comparison is the difference in stated bits between Version B and Version A, alongside estimated brute-force outcomes.
Does a positive strength difference favor Version B?
Yes. A positive result means Version B has more stated bits of brute-force strength than Version A.
Formula and input questions
How bits, attack rate, duration, and users enter the model.
What does effective security strength in bits mean?
It is the modeled brute-force strength used to calculate a keyspace of approximately 2 raised to that number of bits.
Why is attack rate entered as guesses per second?
It provides a common rate for estimating how many possible keys could be tested during the chosen period.
Why does the calculator use 31,557,600 seconds per year?
It uses 365.25 days per year when converting the entered duration from years to seconds.
How is expected crack time calculated?
The calculator divides half of the modeled keyspace by the attack rate, then converts seconds to years.
Why is compromise likelihood capped at 100%?
A probability cannot exceed 100%, even if the entered attack effort is greater than the modeled keyspace.
Accuracy and security scope
What the model includes and excludes.
Does this calculate the real chance encryption will be broken?
No. It estimates brute-force key guessing only under the inputs provided.
Does it account for stolen encryption keys?
No. Key theft, poor key management, endpoint compromise, and access control failures are outside this model.
Does it account for side-channel attacks or software flaws?
No. The calculation assumes a brute-force search of a properly generated key and does not model implementation weaknesses.
Can quantum computing be modeled with this calculator?
Not directly. The calculator uses a classical brute-force keyspace model and does not apply a quantum attack model.
Population results
How to interpret expected compromised users and any-compromise probability.
Why does user count affect the result?
User count does not change the per-user likelihood, but it changes the expected number of affected users and the chance that at least one user is affected.
What does expected compromised users mean?
It is user count multiplied by the estimated per-user likelihood. It is an average under the independent-key assumption.
Why can the chance of any compromise be higher than the per-user likelihood?
A larger population creates more independent opportunities for at least one key to be found.
Can I use this if all users share one encryption key?
No. A shared key changes the risk structure, so the independent per-user population calculation is not appropriate.
What does per-user mean in this calculator?
It assumes each user has a separate, independently generated encryption key and models attack effort against one user's key.
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