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Columnar Technique

The document describes a simple columnar transposition technique for encryption that rearranges plaintext characters into ciphertext by writing the plaintext into a grid with columns and then reading the ciphertext by column. An example shows encrypting the message 'HELLO WORLD THIS IS AN EXAMPLE' into ciphertext by writing it in a 5 column grid and reading the columns sequentially.

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50 views2 pages

Columnar Technique

The document describes a simple columnar transposition technique for encryption that rearranges plaintext characters into ciphertext by writing the plaintext into a grid with columns and then reading the ciphertext by column. An example shows encrypting the message 'HELLO WORLD THIS IS AN EXAMPLE' into ciphertext by writing it in a 5 column grid and reading the columns sequentially.

Uploaded by

zyaaryan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The simple columnar transposition technique is a traditional method of encryption

that rearranges the characters in a plaintext message to create ciphertext, using a


very straightforward approach. Here’s how it works in detail, along with an
example:

### Step-by-Step Process:

1. **Write the Plaintext:** Begin by writing the plaintext message into a grid or
table. The columns are typically defined by a keyword or a predetermined number.
The rows are filled with letters from the plaintext message.

2. **Choose the Number of Columns:** Decide on the number of columns based on a


keyword or a set numerical value. The columns could be equal or unequal in length,
depending on the length of the message and the number of columns used.

3. **Fill the Grid:** Write the plaintext message into the columns row by row.

4. **Read the Ciphertext:** Once the grid is filled, the ciphertext is created by
reading the columns in a predetermined order. This order can be sequential (from
first to last column) or based on a keyword where each letter’s alphabetical order
determines the sequence.

### Example:

#### Plaintext:
"HELLO WORLD THIS IS AN EXAMPLE"

#### Step 1: Choose the Number of Columns


Let's say we choose 5 columns for this example.

#### Step 2: Write the Plaintext in Rows and Columns


We fill the grid row by row:
```
H E L L O
W O R L D
T H I S I
S A N E X
A M P L E
```

#### Step 3: Create the Ciphertext


Read the columns in a sequential order (1 to 5):
- Column 1: HWTSA
- Column 2: EOHAM
- Column 3: LIRNP
- Column 4: LSLIX
- Column 5: ODIES

#### Ciphertext:
HWTSAEOHAMLIRNPLSLIXODIES

### Key Points:


- **Security Level:** Simple columnar transposition is not very secure by modern
standards because patterns can often still be discerned in the ciphertext. For
example, the repetition of certain letters in specific positions may remain
consistent, making it vulnerable to frequency analysis and pattern recognition.
- **Historical Use:** This method was more effective when manual cryptography was
prevalent, but today it serves more as an educational tool to demonstrate basic
cryptographic concepts.
### Variations:
The technique can be varied by changing the order in which columns are read
(possibly using a keyword as mentioned), or by adding multiple layers of
transposition, which substantially increases its security.

This basic understanding of the simple columnar transposition cipher shows how easy
it is to implement but also highlights its vulnerability to various forms of
cryptanalysis.

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