Assignment 1

Question 1

Encryption technique

Encryption is the process of encoding a message or information in such a way that only
authorized parties can access it and those who are not authorized cannot. Encryption does not
itself prevent interference, but denies the intelligible content to a would-be interceptor. In an
encryption scheme, the intended information or message, referred to as plaintext, is encrypted
using an encryption algorithm. Ciphertext that can be read only if decrypted. For technical
reasons, an encryption scheme usually uses a pseudo-random encryption key generated by an
algorithm. It is in principle possible to decrypt the message without possessing the key, but,
for a well-designed encryption scheme, considerable computational resources and skills are
required. An authorized recipient can easily decrypt the message with the key provided by the
originator to recipients but not to unauthorized users.

The technique of encryption

Example : Single Transposition
A transposition cipher is a method of encryption by which the positions held by units of
plaintext which are commonly letters are rearranged. To decrypt it must work out the number
of columns and this is usually based on a common factor of the total number of characters in
the text and then rearrange the columns.

Solution how to encrypt data

Unencrypted data, often referred to as plaintext, is encrypted using an encryption algorithm
and an encryption key. This process generates ciphertext that can only be viewed in its
original form if decrypted with the correct key. Decryption is simply the inverse of
encryption, following the same steps but reversing the order in which the keys are applied.
Encryption algorithms fall into two categories symmetric and asymmetric.
• For example, we have a plaintext “WORLD BEH1ND MY W4LL” with the given
keyword “awesome”.

1 7 2 6 5 4 3

a w e s o m e

W O R L D B E

H 1 N D M Y W

4 L L X X X X

As a result, the ciphertext for the given plaintext in single transposition is

WH4 RNL EWX BYX DMX LDX D1L

Solution how to decrypt the text

To decrypt that ciphertext into plaintext, you need an encryption key, a series of bits that
decode the text. The key is something only you or the intended recipient has in their
possession. Computers are capable of breaking encrypted code by guessing an encryption
key, but for very sophisticated algorithms like an elliptic curve algorithm, this could take a
long time. You can send that encrypted message to someone, separately share the key, then
they’re able to decrypt it and read the original sentence.