Monoalphabetic Cipher – Algorithm and Process
A Monoalphabetic Cipher is a type of substitution cipher where each letter in the plaintext is
replaced by a fixed different letter of the alphabet. The substitution remains constant throughout the
message.
Encryption Algorithm
1. Create a Key: Map each letter of the alphabet to a different letter.
2. Substitute Each Letter: Replace each letter in the plaintext with its mapped value.
3. Build the Ciphertext: Join the substituted letters to form the final encrypted message.
Decryption Algorithm
1. Reverse the Key: Create a decryption key by reversing the mapping.
2. Substitute Each Cipher Letter: Replace each letter with its original value.
3. Build the Plaintext: Join the decrypted letters to form the original message.
Example
Plain A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Cipher Q W E R T Y U I O P A S D F G H J K L Z X C V B N M
Plaintext: HELLO
Encryption Steps:
H → I, E → T, L → S, L → S, O → G
Ciphertext: ITSSG
Advantages
- Stronger than Caesar cipher due to high number of key combinations (26!).
- Easy to implement manually.
Disadvantages
- Vulnerable to frequency analysis.
- Patterns in letter usage can reveal the substitution.
Use Cases
- Historical cryptography.
- Educational demonstrations.
