We all know how the lock on a door works. There are a series of small round bars called tumblers that, when lined up correctly, drop out of the way, removing the obstruction, so you can turn the key and open the door. But, just because you know how a door lock works does not mean that you can find the right key. It takes a lot of time and trouble to find the correct key.
Similarly,
Talented people can reverse-engineer software that uses an algorithm and know its internal working. Well, if that is true, how do you keep the data safe if everyone knows how it’s done? The solution is in the key. The key is a complex sequence of alpha-numeric characters, used as an input to the encryption algorithm. If you can keep the key unknown and unknowable, that goes a very long way in keeping the data safe from prying eyes.
LONGER KEY IS BETTER
For keys to be secure, they must be lengthy i.e. a 128-bit key is more secure than a 56-bit key. Longer keys are generally much harder to crack. Look at it this way, of the house keys shown below, which do you think would be safer to use?
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