If an encryption key is not generated as part of a known protocol, then it is impossible to tell, in thegeneral case, how many modules may use this encryption key. The limit on the number of same-keyTriple-DES encryptions is set at 216. If the number of modules using this key for encryption is nogreater than 16 then the overall limit of 220 will not be exceeded. In the highly unusual scenario whenmore than 16 modules share the same key, it is likely that at least some of these modules will notperform the number of encryptions that is close to the allocated maximum (216). Even if they did andthe total number of same-key encryptions exceeded 220, it would be difficult for the attacker toincrease the chances of success when the encryptions are performed by the unrelated modules.