| Alphabet |
A set of letters or symbols in a fixed order used to represent the basic sounds of a language. |
| Brute-Force Attack |
An attack on a cipher by trying every possible key until the correct one is found. |
| Caesar Cipher |
A type of substitution cipher in which each letter in the plaintext is shifted a certain number of places down the alphabet. |
| Cipher |
A secret or disguised way of writing; a code. |
| Ciphertext |
The encoded or coded message produced by a cipher. |
| Cryptanalysis |
The study of cryptographic systems in order to find weaknesses and break codes. |
| Decryption |
The process of converting coded or encrypted text or data back into plaintext. |
| Encryption |
The process of converting plaintext into coded language to ensure its confidentiality. |
| Frequency Analysis |
The study of the frequency and distribution of letters or symbols in a text to help break a cipher. |
| Key |
In cryptography, a secret code or number used to encrypt or decrypt a message. |
| Modulus Operator |
A mathematical operator used to perform division with remainder, often denoted by the percent symbol (%). |
| Monoalphabetic Cipher |
A cipher that uses a single alphabet to encrypt a message. |
| Plaintext |
The original message before it is encrypted or coded. |
| Polyalphabetic Cipher |
A cipher that uses multiple alphabets to encrypt a message. |
| Rail Fence Cipher |
A type of transposition cipher in which the plaintext is written diagonally on a criss-cross pattern. |
| Shift Value |
The number of places by which each letter in the plaintext is shifted in the Caesar Cipher. |
| Substitution Cipher |
A cipher in which each letter in the plaintext is replaced by another letter or symbol according to a predetermined pattern. |
| Transposition Cipher |
A cipher that rearranges the letters or symbols of a message without changing them. |
| Vigenere Cipher |
A polyalphabetic cipher that uses a keyword consisting of a repeating pattern of letters to encrypt a message. |
