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Kevin, a security team member, was instructed to share a policy document with the employees. As it was supposed to be shared within the network, he used a simple algorithm to encrypt the document that just rearranges the same characters to produce the ciphertext.
Identify the type of cipher employed by Kevin in the above scenario.
Suggested Answer: A
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32 comments · newest first
KE
Kenneth
11 months ago
Wow, I didn't expect that! Thought it was more complex.
EZ
Ezekiel
11 months ago
Pretty sure it's A, but I can see the confusion.
AL
Alesia
11 months ago
Wait, are we sure it's not a substitution cipher?
SL
Slyvia
12 months ago
Agreed, rearranging characters is classic transposition.
ST
Stephen
12 months ago
That's definitely a transposition cipher!
ER
Erinn
1 year ago
I keep mixing up transposition and substitution ciphers. Is it possible that this could be a substitution cipher too?
RO
Rolland
1 year ago
This sounds like a similar question we practiced where we discussed how transposition ciphers work. I feel confident it's A.
AL
Alex
1 year ago
I'm not entirely sure, but I remember something about stream ciphers being more about continuous data rather than rearranging characters.
LO
Louisa
1 year ago
I think this is a transposition cipher since it just rearranges the characters without changing them.
HE
Henriette
1 year ago
Okay, I think I've got it. Since the question specifies that the algorithm just rearranges the characters without changing them, that rules out substitution. It's most likely a transposition cipher.
RU
Rupert
1 year ago
Hmm, I'm a bit confused. The question says the algorithm "rearranges the same characters," but that could also describe a substitution cipher. I'll have to think this through carefully.
KA
Kate
1 year ago
This seems like a straightforward question. The key details are that the algorithm just rearranges the characters, so it's likely a transposition cipher.
RO
Rodolfo
1 year ago
Transposition cipher, got it. This is a classic crypto question, and the description matches that type of cipher. I feel pretty confident about this one.
QU
Queen
1 year ago
Haha, I bet Kevin got this idea from a cartoon he watched. 'Just rearrange the letters, that'll keep 'em safe!' Clearly, he needs to brush up on his cryptography skills.
BA
Barabara
1 year ago
User 3: Maybe he thought it was foolproof, but it's definitely not.
TR
Truman
1 year ago
User 2: Yeah, he should have used a more secure cipher.
BR
Bronwyn
1 year ago
User 1: Kevin's encryption method seems a bit too simple.
ET
Ettie
1 year ago
Hold on, did Kevin really use a simple algorithm? Sounds like he might have just swapped the characters around without any real encryption. What a slacker!
TH
Theodora
1 year ago
He should have used a more secure method like a block cipher instead.
DA
Dannie
1 year ago
Yeah, it sounds like he took the easy way out with a simple algorithm.
DA
Dan
1 year ago
Kevin probably used a substitution cipher, just rearranging characters.
JE
Jennie
2 years ago
Hmm, I'm not so sure. Rearranging characters could also be a substitution cipher, where each character is replaced with another. I'll have to think this one through a bit more.
KA
Kanisha
1 year ago
Eric: Maybe we should do some more research to confirm.
GE
Gerald
1 year ago
User 3: I'm leaning towards transposition too.
ER
Eric
1 year ago
User 2: But it could also be a transposition cipher.
TO
Torie
1 year ago
User 1: I think it's a substitution cipher.
JO
Joesph
2 years ago
Ah, I think Kevin used a transposition cipher. The question mentions he just rearranged the characters to produce the ciphertext, which is the defining characteristic of a transposition cipher.
TO
Torie
1 year ago
Transposition cipher is a type of encryption where the positions of the characters are rearranged to create the ciphertext.
DO
Donette
1 year ago
Yes, you are correct! Kevin indeed used a transposition cipher.
GL
Glenn
2 years ago
I'm not sure, but I think it could also be a Substitution cipher.
LE
Leslie
2 years ago
I agree with Telma, Transposition cipher rearranges characters.
TE
Telma
2 years ago
I think Kevin used a Transposition cipher.