cipher: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As	cipher system • cryptosystem • single-key cryptography

Photos

Jade cipher machine

Purple cipher machine

Frequency distribution for plaintext and its repeated-key Vigenère cipher

DES flow diagram

A Vigenere cipher table displays the alphabet in both the top row and left column, with rows shifted to create a grid for encryption and decryption. Highlighted letters illustrate how to use the table. An explanation and example using the words cipher, key, and plaintext appears to the right.

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Topics

Data Encryption Standard public-key cryptography Polybius checkerboard block cipher one-key cryptosystem stream cipher chronogram cipher disk scytale rotor cipher machine cryptographic key

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Key People

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Agnes Meyer Driscoll

American cryptologist

A botanical illustration from the Voynich manuscript, a codex, scientific or magical text in an unidentified language, in cipher; end of the 15th or during the 16th century (?).

Codes, Secrets, and Ciphers Quiz