https://github.com/nathancordeiro/magic-box-cipher
The Magic-Box Cipher is my own inspiration drawn from the classical Caesar Cipher, the Playfair Cipher and the monoalphabetic substitution cipher. Do give it a try.
https://github.com/nathancordeiro/magic-box-cipher
cipher cipher-algorithm cryptography
Last synced: about 1 month ago
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The Magic-Box Cipher is my own inspiration drawn from the classical Caesar Cipher, the Playfair Cipher and the monoalphabetic substitution cipher. Do give it a try.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/nathancordeiro/magic-box-cipher
- Owner: NathanCordeiro
- License: mit
- Created: 2024-06-05T20:10:12.000Z (11 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2024-06-07T19:43:09.000Z (11 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-02-07T00:20:19.264Z (3 months ago)
- Topics: cipher, cipher-algorithm, cryptography
- Language: Python
- Homepage:
- Size: 40 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
---
# Magic Box Cipher
---
## Overview
**The MagicBox cipher is my own take on the classic keyword substitution cipher. This type of cipher relies on a secret keyword to create a custom codebook for encryption and decryption. While there are many historical and existing keyword ciphers, the MagicBox cipher offers a unique twist with its approach.**
## Why use the magic box cipher?
- ### `Dynamic Table Creation:`
- Unlike some keyword ciphers that use pre-defined substitution tables, the MagicBox cipher takes a user-defined keyword and generates a dynamic 5x5 substitution table on the fly. This table serves as the core of the encryption and decryption process. The keyword itself is incorporated into the table, and the remaining slots are filled with the rest of the alphabet. This dynamic table creation adds a layer of variability compared to static ciphers that use pre-determined letter mappings. A static cipher's predictability makes it more susceptible to code-breaking attempts, especially if the underlying table structure is known.
- ### `Customizable Transposition Key:`
- The Magic Box Cipher offers an additional layer of security through the use of a customizable transposition key. This key is a sequence of numbers used to rearrange the rows or columns of the encrypted message, adding complexity beyond the initial substitution step. By allowing users to choose their own transposition key or use a default one, the cipher provides a flexible yet powerful method to further obfuscate the message. This feature is particularly useful because even if an attacker understands the substitution grid, they still need to decipher the additional transposition step to fully decode the message.
-
👇 NOTE
| *While the MagicBox cipher offers a fun and educational way to explore cryptography, it's important to acknowledge its limitations. For truly secure communication, especially when dealing with sensitive information, stronger encryption algorithms are recommended. However, for specific use cases where a layer of basic obscurity is desired, the MagicBox cipher can be a useful tool.* |
|:--|
---
## Code Explanation
1. Create the Magic table:
- Initialize a 5x5 NumPy array and fills it with the characters from the keyword, followed by the remaining letters of the alphabet.
- Duplicate letters from the keyword are skipped.
- The keyword and the rest of the alphabet populate the grid in row-major order.
- The letter 'Z' is excluded from the table. If 'Z' is encountered in the message, it is substituted with 'A'.
- This creates a 5x5 table with all letters from 'A' to 'Y', except 'Z'.
- If The keyword is `"MAGIC"`, Here’s how the table is constructed:
| M | A | G | I | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | D | E | F | H |
| J | K | L | N | O |
| P | Q | R | S | T |
| U | V | W | X | Y |
2. Prepare the Message:
- The message is split into words to preserve spaces.
- Each word is processed individually.
3. Encryption:
- Each letter in the message is converted to its position in the grid.
- The character is replaced by the one directly below it in the grid.
- If the character is the last character in the column, it wraps around to the first character in the column.
- Example Message: "HELLO WORLD"
| `Character` | `Position in Table` | `Character Below` | `Encrypted Character` |
|-----------|-------------------|-----------------|---------------------|
| H | Row 1, Column 4 | O | O |
| E | Row 1, Column 2 | L | L |
| L | Row 2, Column 2 | R | R |
| L | Row 2, Column 2 | R | R |
| O | Row 2, Column 4 | T | T |
| W | Row 4, Column 2 | G | G |
| O | Row 2, Column 4 | T | T |
| R | Row 3, Column 2 | W | W |
| L | Row 2, Column 2 | R | R |
| D | Row 1, Column 2 | K | K |
- Encrypted message: `"OLRRT GTWRK"`
4. Decryption:
- Each letter in the encrypted message is converted to its position in the grid.
- The character is replaced by the one directly above it in the grid.
- If the character is in the first row, it wraps around to the last row.
## Installation
1. Clone the repository:
```sh
git clone https://github.com/NathanCordeiro/Magic-Box-Cipher.git
```
2. Navigate to the project directory:
```sh
cd Magic-Box-Cipher
```
## Usage
1. Run the script:
```sh
python cipher.py
```
2. Choose whether to encrypt (E) or decrypt (D) a message.
3. Enter the message and keyword as prompted.
## License
[](./LICENSE)