Misc Codes
Tools
DCode- WebsiteSupport many crypto algorithms, but also some interesting tools.
CyberChef- WebsiteOnline tool to encrypt/decrypt, encode/decode, analyze, and perform many other operations on data.
Ciphey- GitHubAutomated cryptanalysis tool. It can detect the type of cipher used and try to decrypt it.
Requires python version strickly less than 3.10.
Will be replaced in the future by Ares
Misc Codes
Here is a list of misc codes. The goal of this section is to help recognize them and provide tools to decode them.
One time pad based codes
One time pad- Wikipedia -Many time padEncrypt each character with a pre-shared key. The key must be as long as the message. The key must be random and never reused.
This can be done using XOR :
- Encryption: c = m ^ k
- Decryption: m = c ^ k
If the key is repeated, it is a type of Vigenere cipher. This template helps to crack repeated XOR keys.
xortoolscan also be used for this. This is calledMany time padMany time padon images/dataWhen structured data is xored with a key, it is possible to find information about the plaintext using multiple ciphertexts.
This stackexchange question can help understand how the re-use of a
One time padcan be dangerous on structured data.Vigenere Cipher- WikipediaShift cipher using a key. The key is repeated to match the length of the message.
Type Content Message HELLO WORLD Key ABCDE FABCD Cipher (sum)%26 HFNLP XQEMK This can be cracked using this online tool.
Gronsfeld Cipher- WebsiteVariant of the Vigenere cipher using a key of numbers instead of letters.
Substitution Ciphers
Substitution ciphers are ciphers where each letter is replaced by another letter. The key is the translation table. They are vulnerable to frequency analysis. This online tool can be used to decipher them (translated to the latin alphabet if needed).
Keyboard Shift- WebsiteROT but using the keyboard layout.
Caesar Cipher- WebsiteShift cipher using the alphabet. Different alphabets can also be used. Vulnerable to frequency analysis.
Atbash Cipher- WikipediaShift cipher using the alphabet in reverse order.
Symbol Substitution Cipher- WebsiteRegular letters can be replaced with symbols. Those are often references to video games or films. You can either translate it to any regular letters and use a substitution cipher solver, or find it’s translation table and use it.
The most common ones are:
Name Description Daggers Cipher Swords/daggers Hylian Language (Twilight Princess) Lot of vertical lines Hylian Language (Breath of the Wild) Similar to uppercase Latin Sheikah Language (Breathe of the Wild) Lines in a square Standard Galactic Alphabet Vertical and horizontal lines Phone-Keypad
Letters can be encoded with numbers using a phone keypad.
1 _ , @ 2 A B C 3 D E F 4 G H I 5 J K L 6 M N O 7 P Q R S 8 T U V 9 W X Y Z * _ 0 + # _ Beaufourt Cipher- WebsiteSubstitute letters to their index in the alphabet.
Polybius Square Cipher- WikipediaSubstitution cipher using a 5x5 grid. Each letter is presented by its coordinates on the grid, often written as a two-digit number.
Can be cracked using simple frequency analysis. The main difficulty is to change the format of the ciphertext to make it easier to analyze.
Transposition Ciphers
Transposition Cipher- WikipediaReorder the letters of the message. The key is the order of the letters.
Example:
HELLO WORLDwith key1,9,2,4,3,11,5,7,6,8,10becomesHLOLWROLED.This online tool can be used to decipher it.
Other
Bacon Cipher- WikipediaRecognizable when the ciphertext only contains two symbols (e.g.: A and B) and the length of the ciphertext is a multiple of 5. Example:
aabbbaabaaababbababbabbba babbaabbbabaaabababbaaabb.Each group of 5 symbols is a letter. It can be deciphered using this online tool.
LC4- ArticleEncryption algorithm designed to be computed by hand. This repository provides an implementation of it.
Railfence Cipher- WikipediaTransposition cipher using a key. The key is the number of rails.
example: Hello world! with 3 rails -> Horel ol!lwd
H . . . o . . . r . . . . e . l . _ . o . l . ! . . l . . . w . . . d .This repository provides an implementation of it.
Playfair Cipher- WikipediaEncrypt messages by bigrams (pairs of letters). This online tool can help to crack it.
International Code of Signals- WikipediaUsing flags to transmit messages. Often used on boats.
EFF/DICE- WebsiteGenerate passphrases from dice rolls. Each set of 5 dice rolls are translated to a word.
Base64,Base32,Base85,Base91…Name Charset example Base64 A-Za-z0-9+/SGVsbG8gV29ybGQhBase32 A-Z2-7JBSWY3DPEBLW64TMMQ======Base85 A-Za-z0-9!#$%&()*+-;<=>?@^_9jqo^F*bKt7!8'or``]8%F<+qT*Base91 A-Za-z0-9!#$%&()*+,./:;<=>?@[]^_fPNKd)T1E8K\*+9MH/@RPE.Usually decoded with python’s
base64lib, or thebase64 -dcommand.Base65535- GitHubEach symbol (number) is encoded on 2 bytes. Consequently, when decoded to unicode, most symbols are very uncommon and also chinese characters.
Base41- GitHubJust another data representation.
Enigma- WikipediaMachine used by the Germans during World War II to encrypt messages. Still takes a lot of time to crack today, but some tricks can be used to speed up the process.