why use 128 bits to protect

Could an Alien Civilization Crack Your Password? And Would They Even Care?

We’ve all heard the advice: Use strong passwords. Encrypt your data. 128-bit AES is secure. But what if an unfathomably advanced civilization—one that stores data at the atomic level—decided to crack your 16-byte password? Could they do it? And more importantly… would they even bother?

The Physics of Breaking AES-128

Let’s say “they” (some godlike alien superintelligence) can store 1 bit per atom. That’s the ultimate limit of classical information density—no wasted space, no inefficiency, just raw atomic-scale engineering.