Cipher Cracking Strategy

Prerequisites

This lab requires the following functions from Lab 6.

• vigenere_decrypt() (Problem 2)

• num_coincidences() (Problem 4)

• key_length() (Problem 5)

Copy these functions, along with any imports and variables they require, into your lab notebook.

The Ciphertext

The goal of this lab is to decrypt ciphertext that was encrypted with a Vigenère cipher whose key is unknown, such as the following message.

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

A Caesar cipher can be cracked by trying all possible single-character keys. A Vigenère key can contain multiple characters, so the number of possible keys grows rapidly with the key length, making exhaustive search impractical for long keys. However, statistical analysis can help identify likely keys and key lengths. This approach requires information about English letter frequencies and a small amount of linear algebra.

Letter Frequencies

In most English texts, letters do not occur equally often. For example, the letters \(\text{E}\), \(\text{R}\), \(\text{S}\), and \(\text{T}\) appear much more frequently in English words than the letters \(\text{X}\) and \(\text{Z}\) do.

The following table shows approximate relative frequencies of letters in general English.

a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k	l	m
.082	.015	.028	.043	.127	.022	.020	.061	.070	.002	.008	.040	.024

n	o	p	q	r	s	t	u	v	w	x	y	z
.067	.075	.019	.001	.060	.063	.091	.028	.010	.023	.001	.020	.001

For example, in typical English text, about \(8.2\%\) of the letters are \(\text{A}\), \(1.5\%\) are \(\text{B}\), a whopping \(12.7\%\) are \(\text{E}\), and only \(0.1\%\) are \(\text{Z}\).

These frequencies help identify likely decryptions: the letter frequencies of a correctly decrypted English message should roughly match the table above, especially for longer messages. A close match does not guarantee a correct decryption, and short or unusual texts may have different letter frequencies, but the longer the message the more likely that the frequencies will match the table above.

Outline

Although the Vigenère cipher is difficult to crack directly, the Caesar cipher is not. Given the length of the Vigenère key, the ciphertext characters can be grouped by which letter of the Vigenère key was used to encrypt it. Each group can be decrypted by trying all 26 possible Caesar shifts (one for each letter of the alphabet), calculating the letter frequency of the result, and checking if it matches the standard English letter frequencies. Finding a Caesar key for each group yields a full Vigenère key.