What Do VPN Providers Mean by “Military-Grade” Encryption?
When researching which VPN provider to pick, you may have come across many services claiming that they use “military-grade” encryption. But what, exactly, does this mean? What is military grade encryption, and do you need it?
What Is Military-Grade Encryption?
The term “military-grade” encryption is thrown around a lot nowadays, to the point where it may seem a little contrived. Is military-grade encryption really a thing, and, if so, are VPN providers actually using it?
When VPN providers refer to their “military-grade” encryption, they’re often referring to AES, or more specifically,AES-256.
AES, or Advanced Encryption Standard, has been around for over 20 years, and was adopted by the US government in the early 2000s. There are three main types of AES encryption: 128-bit, 192-bit, and 256-bit. The higher the bit number, the longer the encryption key.
AES-128 and AES-192 are used to encrypt certain kinds of data, but 256-bit certainly takes the cake in terms of popularity.
Over the past few years, AES-256 has become widely adapted by cybersecurity companies, such as password managers and VPNs. The US military, NASA, and various other important bodies use AES-256, simply because it’s one of the best encryption standards out there today.
AES-256 isa kind of symmetric encryptionthat uses a 256-bit key. This form of encryption is highly resistant to brute-force attacks, and, using current technology, is virtually un-crackable.
AES-256, as well as all other AES encryption protocols, has never been cracked. It has been theorized that AES-256 encryption would take over a trillion years to crack, with other AES protocols taking a similarly massive length of time.SCRAMBOXreported in 2016 that it would take over 2 trillion years for AES-256 to be cracked, so we likely won’t see it being bypassed any time soon (unless a new kind of more capable technology arises).
Do All VPN Providers Use AES-256 Encryption?
In short, no. Not all VPN providers out there use AES-256 encryption. There are various encryption protocols available for VPN services to use alongside AES-256, but it’s this encryption standard that is most commonly offered (mainly due to the reasons discussed above).
It’s important to check what encryption protocol your prospective VPN service uses before signing up, so you know how your data is being shielded.
However, many of the most popular VPN services available today do use AES-256, including:
While a lot offree VPN providersalso offer AES-256, some opt for other standards in exchange for the free service.ZoogVPN’s free plan, for example, uses AES-128 encryption (while its paid plan offers AES-256). This is still a secure protocol, but differs from AES-256 in its key length.
It would certainly seem that AES-256 is an incredibly common encryption standard among VPN providers, but is this something you need? Should you only opt for services that specifically use AES-256?
Do You Need Military-Grade Encryption?
If you’re a typical internet user, going online to stream shows, talk to friends, shop, and conduct similar activities, you probably don’tneedmilitary-grade AES-256 encryption from your VPN provider. There’s a reason why it’s called military-grade, after all. This encryption standard is used to protect highly confidential information held by government bodies.
But this by no means indicates that using AES-256 is a bad idea. Your private data still requires protection, and if you have the option of accessing this high level of encryption, why not go for it? As previously stated, there are even numerous free VPN plans offering AES-256 today, so you don’t need to break the bank in order to protect your data with it.
If you’re still wondering why other secure protocols are overlooked in favor of AES-256, there may also be a marketing angle here that works to the advantage of VPN companies. Because AES-256 is considered military-grade, it’s a big plus if VPN providers can boast this feature. After all, “military-grade” sounds pretty impressive.
AES-256 Offers You the Highest Levels of Security
AES-256 is by no means the only secure encryption standard out there, but it still stands as a top choice for cybersecurity firms and government branches. So, if your chosen VPN provider is offering you this incredibly secure form of encryption, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy it.
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