[DanielRuskin]

Brute forcing 128 bit encryption, depending on the algorithm used, is not trivial.

Remember, the difficulty goes up EXPONENTIALLY for every bit you add.

[marcamillion]

Never said it was trivial.

Just that it is much easier to do that - when you can set computer power to it locally. i.e. you can download all the credit card data onto your local hard disk and throw computing power at it....as opposed to trying to compromise a remote server that may be monitored.