Unbreakable Cipher

1
Introduction
 Unbreakable cipher are claims made
by cryptographers of cryptographic
algorithms they have designed.
 Most algorithms that have been created
are breakable cipher.

2
 Does an unbreakable cipher really exist?
Answer: yes

 What is the unbreakable cipher

requirement?
Answer:
1. The key must be completely random.
2. Key length = plaintext length
As a result: the same plaintext does not
always produce the same ciphertext
3
One-Time Pad (OTP)
 The only perfect cryptographic algorithm
that cannot be solved is one-time pad.

 OTP was discovered in 1917 by Major

Joseph Mauborgne.

 OTP belongs to the symmetry cryptographic

algorithm group.

4
 One-time pad (pad = a notebook paper)
contains a row of randomly generated key
characters.

5
6
 The message recipient has the same (copy)
of the pad.

 One pad is only used (one-time) to encrypt

messages.

 Once the pad has been used, it is destroyed

so that it is not reused to encrypt other
messages.

7
 OTP key length = plaintext length, so there is no
need to repeat the use of keys during the
encryption process.

 The encryption rules used are exactly the same as

in Vigenere Cipher.

 Encryption: ci = (pi + ki) mod 26

 Decryption: ci = (pi – ki) mod 26

8
 Example 1:
plaintext: ONETIMEPAD
key: TBFRGFARFM

Suppose A = 0, B = 1, …, Z = 25.

ciphertext: HOJKOREGHP

which are obtained as follows:

(O + T) mod 26 = H
(N + B) mod 26 = O
(E + F) mod 26 = J, etc.

9
 This OTP system cannot be solved
because:
1. A row of random keys + no random
plaintext = all random ciphertext.

2. Decrypt ciphertext with several different

keys can produce meaningful
plaintext, so cryptanalyst has no way to
determine which plaintext is correct.

10
 Example: Suppose a cryptanalyst tries a key:
LMCCAWAAZD

to decrypt the ciphertext: HOJKOREGHP

The resulting plaintext is: SALMONEGGS

If he tries the key: ZDVUZOEYEO

the resulting plaintext is: GREENFIELD

Cryptanalyst: ???????
11
Weakness of OTP
 Although OTP is a perfectly safe algorithm, it is
not widely used in practice.

 Motivos:
1. Inefficient, because the key length =
message length.
Problems that arise: - key storage
- key distribution

12
2. Because the key is generated randomly,
it makes 'impossible' that the sender
and the receiver generate that same
key simultaneously.

13
 OTP can only be used if a second
communication channel is available that is
safe enough to send the key.

 The second channel is generally slow and

expensive.

 For example, in the cold war between the

US and the (former) Soviet Union, keys
were raised, stored, then sent using secure
courier services.

14
 As a practical person, I've observed that
one-time pads are theoretically
unbreakable, but practically very weak.
By contrast, conventional ciphers are
theoretically breakable, but practically
strong." - Steve Bellovin

15