Security Strength Glossary Definition

Security strength is a measure of the computational complexity associated with recovering certain secret and/or security-critical information concerning a given cryptographic algorithm from known data (e.g. plaintext/ciphertext pairs for a given encryption algorithm). It is also a number associated with the amount of work (that is, the number of operations) that is required to break a cryptographic algorithm or system. Sometimes referred to as a security level.

In security and compliance work, this term helps teams describe controls, risks, identity practices, standards, audits, or protective technologies. It is relevant when managing access, reducing exposure, documenting safeguards, or demonstrating accountability.