Cryptology References

This page contains literary and website references as well as a synopsis of definitions and terms used in cryptology. It is neither complete nor definitive. Minor variances are omitted to allow the non specialist to use the list. Any glaring errors or omissions can be reported on by using the comments button at the bottom of the page.

Library References

Useful Web Sites

Terminology

Cipher
A mapping algorithm that is applied to a fixed number of characters at a time with an intent of concealing the contents of the message.
Code
A mapping algorithm that is applied to a variable number of characters (according to linguistic entities) at a time with an intent of concealing the contents of the message.
Commercial Code
A code used in business primarily to reduce cost by shortening messages. It involves no secrecy. The prime example is the 'Philips' Code.
Crib
A word or phrase that might be expected in the plaintext that can be a "wedge" or test for decryption. More...
Cryptanalysis
The study of methods of reading enciphered and encoded messages without original knowledge of the cipher method used or the current keys.
Cryptography
The study of methods of enciphering and deciphering messages to conceal the contents of a message.
Cryptology
The study of both cryptography (enciphering and deciphering) and cryptanalysis (breaking or cracking a code system or individual messages).
Deciphering
The procedure of turning enciphered text into plain text with prior knowledge of the algorithms or keys involved. This is what the intended message receiver does.
Decryption
The science of turning enciphered text into plain text without prior knowledge of the algorithms or keys involved. This is what the interceptor or 'cracker' does.
Digraphs
A plaintext character pairing technique that prevents frequency analysis of commonly occurring pairs such as 'qu'. Note that trigraphs (three characters at a time) is an extension of the theme.
Homophones
Several replacement letters for the same letter in plaintext
Key
A word or phrase that modifies the enciphering/deciphering process in such a way that knowledge of the algorithm alone is insufficient to decipher an enciphered message.
Monoalphabet
A single mapping of plaintext letters to ciphertext letters.
Nomenclature
Half code and half cipher, it was a list of word/syllable substitutions and cipher alphabet with homophones.
Nulls
Meaningless letters used to confuse by modifying frequency distributions or predictability. Sometimes used to fill a message to a specific length.
Plaintext
The original message to be encoded or enciphered
Polyalphabet
A method where several mappings of plaintext letters to ciphertext letters occur in a message.
Steganography
The art of concealing a message's existence. One example would be through the use of photographic microdots.
Substitution
Enciphering by replacing one letter by another.
Transposition
Enciphering by shuffling the order of letters.
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