However, more secure algorithms, using possibly longer keys can use up more resources, and can quite a bit longer to perform encryption and decryption. For example, some complex encryption algorithms are probably too slow to be used in encrypting voice data without computing power much greater than that currently in telephones. The only way to get this increased security is to make a more expensive phone. This is maxim that holds true in any security system. One unique aspect of information as a commodity, as opposed to gold or other tangibles, is that time often is the biggest factor in the valuation of information.
Corporate information is a perfect example.
Knowing the fact of an impending dividend may be worth quite a deal of money before an announcement is made, but little afterwards. What this means for the securer of information is that the expected life of an encryption algorithm must be taken into account when weighing the costs of an cryptosystem. If that same secret must be kept secret for weeks, years, or decades, then a much more strong cryptosystem should be used. A short example might suffice. This example demonstrated the issues concerning a simple encryption system.