Overview

Students are introduced to encryption and use a widget to attempt cracking some simple encryption methods.

Vocab

• Caesar Cipher - a technique for encryption that shifts the alphabet by some number of characters
• Cipher - the generic term for a technique (or algorithm) that performs encryption
• Cracking encryption - When you attempt to decode a secret message without knowing all the specifics of the cipher, you are trying to "crack" the encryption.
• Decryption - a process that reverses encryption, taking a secret message and reproducing the original plain text
• Encryption - a process of encoding messages to keep them secret, so only "authorized" parties can read it.
• Random Substitution Cipher - an encryption technique that maps each letter of the alphabet to a randomly chosen other letters of the alphabet.

Resources