CiphertextIn cryptography, ciphertext or cyphertext is the result of encryption performed on plaintext using an algorithm, called a cipher. Ciphertext is also known as encrypted or encoded information because it contains a form of the original plaintext that is unreadable by a human or computer without the proper cipher to decrypt it. This process prevents the loss of sensitive information via hacking.Gilbert VernamGilbert Sandford Vernam (April 3, 1890 – February 7, 1960) was a Worcester Polytechnic Institute 1914 graduate and AT&T Bell Labs engineer who, in 1917, invented an additive polyalphabetic stream cipher and later co-invented an automated one-time pad cipher. Vernam proposed a teleprinter cipher in which a previously prepared key, kept on paper tape, is combined character by character with the plaintext message to produce the ciphertext.
CryptographyCryptography, or cryptology, is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adversarial behavior. More generally, cryptography is about constructing and analyzing protocols that prevent third parties or the public from reading private messages. Modern cryptography exists at the intersection of the disciplines of mathematics, computer science, information security, electrical engineering, digital signal processing, physics, and others.
EncryptionIn cryptography, encryption is the process of transforming information in a way that, ideally, only authorized parties can decode. This process converts the original representation of the information, known as plaintext, into an alternative form known as ciphertext. Encryption does not itself prevent interference but denies the intelligible content to a would-be interceptor.
PlaintextIn cryptography, plaintext usually means unencrypted information pending input into cryptographic algorithms, usually encryption algorithms. This usually refers to data that is transmitted or stored unencrypted. OverviewWith the advent of computing, the term plaintext expanded beyond human-readable documents to mean any data, including binary files, in a form that can be viewed or used without requiring a key or other decryption device.
Frank Miller (cryptographer)Franklin Miller (January 19, 1842 – February 13, 1925) was an American cryptographer, banker, and trustee of Stanford University. He invented the one-time pad in 1882, 35 years before the patent issued to Gilbert Vernam. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1842, he graduated from Yale University and then joined the Union Army during the American Civil War, where he was wounded during the Second Battle of Bull Run.
Exclusive orRelated conceptsPropositional calculusPredicate logicBoolean algebraTruth tableTruth functionBoolean functionFunctional completenessScope (logic) ApplicationsDigital logicProgramming languagesMathematical logicPhilosophy of logicExclusive or, exclusive disjunction, exclusive alternation, logical non-equivalence, or logical inequality is a logical operator whose negation is the logical biconditional.Modular arithmeticIn mathematics, modular arithmetic is a system of arithmetic operations for integers, differing from the usual ones in that numbers "wrap around" when reaching or exceeding a certain value, called the modulus. The modern approach to number theory using modular arithmetic was developed by Carl Friedrich Gauss in his book Disquisitiones Arithmeticae, published in 1801.Key distributionIn symmetric key cryptography, both parties must possess a secret key which they must exchange prior to using any encryption. Distribution of secret keys has been problematic until recently, because it involved face-to-face meeting, use of a trusted courier, or sending the key through an existing encryption channel. The first two are often impractical and unsafe, while the third depends on the security of a previous key exchange.
CryptanalysisCryptanalysis (from Greekkryptós'hidden' and analýein'to analyze') refers to the process of analyzing information systems in order to understand hidden aspects of the systems. Cryptanalysis is used to breach cryptographic security systems and gain access to the contents of encrypted messages, even if the cryptographic key is unknown.Key (cryptography)A key in cryptography is a piece of information, usually a string of numbers or letters that are stored in a file, which, when processed through a cryptographic algorithm, can encode or decode cryptographic data. Based on the used method, the key can be different sizes and varieties, but in all cases, the strength of the encryption relies on the security of the key being maintained.Pre-shared keyIn cryptography, a pre-shared key (PSK) is a shared secret which was previously shared between the two parties using some secure channel before it needs to be used.
Military communicationsMessages within armed forces United States Army Signal Corps switchboard operators in the 1940s Military communications or military signals involve all aspects of communications, or conveyance of information, by armed forces.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.