title: How to define your encryption algorithm's strength in terms of bits?
body: <p>I'm in the process of designing an encryption algorithm. The algorithm is symmetric (single key).</p>
  <p>How do you measure an algorithms strength in terms of bits? Is the key length the strength of the algorithm?</p>
  <p><strong>EDIT:</strong></p>
  <blockquote>
  <p><strong>Lesson 1</strong>: Don't design an encryption algorithm, AES and others are
  designed and standardized by academics for a reason</p>
  <p><strong>Lesson 2</strong>: An encryption algorithms strength is not measured in bits, key sizes are. An algorithm's strength is determined by its design. In general, an algorithm using a larger key size is harder to brute-force, and thus stronger.</p>
  </blockquote>