https://github.com/denatajp/hillchiper
Implementation of the Hill Cipher algorithm, a classical cryptography technique based on linear algebra. The project includes both encryption and decryption functions, utilizing matrix operations to transform plaintext into ciphertext and vice versa.
https://github.com/denatajp/hillchiper
python
Last synced: 4 days ago
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Implementation of the Hill Cipher algorithm, a classical cryptography technique based on linear algebra. The project includes both encryption and decryption functions, utilizing matrix operations to transform plaintext into ciphertext and vice versa.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/denatajp/hillchiper
- Owner: denatajp
- Created: 2024-08-24T02:47:57.000Z (10 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2024-08-24T04:01:48.000Z (10 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-04-14T20:38:46.508Z (2 months ago)
- Topics: python
- Language: Python
- Homepage:
- Size: 4.88 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
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Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
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README

# Introduction

Hill Cipher is one of the classic cryptographic algorithms that utilizes the principles of linear algebra to encrypt and decrypt messages. It works by converting the original text (plaintext) into a numeric vector, then using a key matrix to multiply the vector. The result of this multiplication is a new vector which is then converted back into encrypted text (ciphertext). For the decryption process, the key matrix is inverted (inverse) and used to return the ciphertext to plaintext.
# Pros
- Math-Based Security: Hill Cipher offers strong security as it uses matrices and modular operations that make it difficult to crack with simple brute force methods.
- Simple and Efficient: The algorithm is relatively easy to understand and implement, making it suitable for basic learning purposes about cryptography.
- Resistance to Frequency Analysis: Since the Hill Cipher encrypts blocks of text at a time, this makes it more difficult to analyze using letter frequencies compared to a simple substitution cipher.# Cons
- Keys Must Be Invertible: The key matrix used must have an inverse modulo 26, which means not all given keys will be valid for encryption and decryption.
- Vulnerable to Known-Plaintext Attacks: If an attacker has access to a pair of plaintext and corresponding ciphertext, they can attempt to reverse the key matrix.
- Limited to a Certain Block Length: Standard Hill Cipher implementations usually work on small blocks (such as 3x3), which can limit the length of messages that can be encrypted at once.# How it works
## Encryption:
- The user enters the message and key.
- The message is broken into blocks of 3 characters.
- Each block is converted into a numeric vector, then multiplied by the key matrix.
- The result of the multiplication is converted back into encrypted text (ciphertext).## Decryption:
- The user inputs the ciphertext and the key.
- The key matrix is inverted (inverse) for use in decryption.
- The ciphertext is broken into blocks, converted into a numeric vector, then multiplied by the inverse matrix.
- The result of the multiplication is converted back into the original text (plaintext).