Thread: Encrypt/Decrypt text

Hi,

I am trying to encrypt and decrypt plain text using following six square method Can anyone pls provide help on how to achieve this using array programming

Square-1
a b c d e
f g h i j
k l m n o
p r s t u
v w x y z

Square-2
f g h i j
k l m n o
p r s t u
v w x y z
a b c d e

Square-3
k l m n o
p r s t u
v w x y z
a b c d e
f g h i j

Square-4
g m r i t
a b c d e
f h j k l
n o p s u
v w x y z

Square-5
a b c d e
f h j k l
g m r i t
n o p s u
v w x y z

Square-6
a b c d e
f h j k l
n o p s u
v w x y z
g m r i t

It uses six 5 by 5 matrices each arranged in a square, as shown in table-1.Each of the 5 by 5 matrices contains the letters of the alphabet (usually omitting "Q" to reduce the alphabet to fit into the square)

While scanning the plain text the first alphabet’s plain text is in square-1 and its cipher is in same row and column location of square-4. The second alphabet, its plain text is in square-2 and cipher text is in same row and column location of square-5. The third alphabet, its plain text is in square-3 and cipher text is in same row and column location of square-6

For example if the plain text is:

Professor Khurana will arrive

It’s cipher text is:

nmeazjplh fclovdg oihh vomivz gs

Thanks in Advance!!

Originally Posted by patneel

Hi,

I am trying to encrypt and decrypt plain text using following six square method Can anyone pls provide help on how to achieve this using array programming

Click here.... Homework Policy

Post some code showing your attempt... we'll see what we can do.

While scanning the plain text the first alphabet’s plain text is in square-1 and its cipher is in same row and column location of square-4. The second alphabet, its plain text is in square-2 and cipher text is in same row and column location of square-5. The third alphabet, its plain text is in square-3 and cipher text is in same row and column location of square-6

I'm, by no means knowledgeable about cryptography, but something about this problem seems odd to me.
Why do we have to use 6 matrices when the plain-text can be (bijectively) mapped into the encrypted one(in this case). Wouldn't it be simpler to generate a list of "what to replace by what" and do the conversion ?
Also, square 5 and 6 has the same first(and second) row. Wouldn't that give rise to some ambiguity when converting back to the original text ?

<If these questions seem foolish, can anyone tell me what this is called. I'd like to read up a bit on it; seems interesting.>

The idea is that you have three different ciphers (they are each a one-to-one mapping) and that you use them each in turn (so the first letter of the message uses the first cipher, the second uses the second, ..., the fifth uses the second, the sixth uses the third, ...). It's not quite a Vigenere cipher, just three separate cryptograms.

Now, I get it !

btw.. Would there be a way to get back the original if it(which character uses which 'cryptogram') was randomised ?

If you knew the random key that was used to generate the randomness. Otherwise you'll have three choices for each letter, and then it comes down to the fact that "the" is a lot more common than "xhk".