EECE 632 – Cryptography and Computer Security
Homework #1 – Solution
CHAPTER 2
Exercise #1
A generalization of the Caesar Cipher is the Affine Cipher given by: C = (a.P + b) mod 26,
Where P is the plain character and C is the cipher character after encryption, a and b are
coefficients. The decryption of the Affine Cipher is given by: P = a-1(C – b) mod 26, where a-1 is
the inverse of a mod 26. Note that characters are assigned values of A=0 and Z=25.
a) Encrypt “HI” using the Affine Cipher with a = 11 and b = 5.
b) The cipher “ME” was obtained after Affine encryption with a = 11 and b = 5. Decrypt it.
a) P = HI ⇒ P1 = 7 (H) and P2 = 8 (I)
C1 = (a.P1 + b) mod 26 = (11x7 + 5) mod 26 = 82 mod 26 = 4 = E
C2 = (a.P2 + b) mod 26 = (11x8 + 5) mod 26 = 93 mod 26 = 15 = P
⇒ C = EP 10 POINTS
b) C = ME ⇒ C1 = 12 (M) and C2 = 4 (E)
By inspection: a-1 = 19
Check: axa-1 mod 26 = 11x19 mod 26 = 209 mod 26 = 1 ü
P1 = a-1(C1 – b) mod 26 = 19(12 – 5) mod 26 = 3 = D
P2 = a-1(C2 – b) mod 26 = 19(4 – 5) mod 26 = 7 = H
⇒ P = DH 10 POINTS
Exercise #2
We know that the most frequent letters of the English alphabet are E and T. After doing Affine
encryption to a plaintext, the most frequent letters became J and k. Break the code by finding the
values of a and b.
E = 4 becomes J = 9
T = 19 becomes K = 10
C = (a.P + b) mod 26
⇒ 9 = (4a + b) mod 26 eq. 1
& 10 = (19a + b) mod 26 eq. 2
Subtract eq. 1 from eq. 2 to remove b: 1 = (15a) mod 26
By inspection: a = 7 10 POINTS
Check: 15x7 mod 26 = 105 mod 26 = 1ü
Get b from eq. 1: 9 = (4x7 + b) mod 26
By inspection: b = 7 10 POINTS
Check: (4x7 + 7) mod 26 = 35 mod 26 = 9 ü
Exercise #3
Use Playfair code to encrypt the message “HELLOS” using the keyword “homework”.
The matrix is: 10 POINTS
H O M E W
R K A B C
D F G I/J L
N P Q S T
U V X Y Z
HE LX LO SX
HE becomes OW
LX becomes GZ
LO becomes FW
SX becomes QY
C = OWGZFWQY 10 POINTS
Exercise #4
Using Vigenere cipher, encrypt the word “assignment” using the key “cryptology”.
Key c r y p t o l o g y
Plain a s s I g n m e n t
Cipher c j q x z b x s t r 10 POINTS
Exercise #5
5 8
Use the Hill Cipher with key K= in order to encrypt “DOGS”. Use the same cipher to
17 3
decrypt “PLAN”.
a) D = 3
O = 14
G=6
S = 18
5 8 3 127 23 X
C1 = K.P1 mod 26 = = mod 26 = =
17 3 14 93 15 P
5 8 6 174 18 S
C2 = K.P2 mod 26 = = mod 26 = =
17 3 18 156 0 A
⇒ C = XPSA 10 POINTS
b) P = 15
L = 11
A=0
N = 13
5 8
K=
17 3
Det(K) = 5x3 – 8x17 mod 26 = -121 mod 26 = 9
By inspection: 9-1 = 3
Check: 3x9 mod 26 = 27 mod 26 = 1 ü
3 −8 9 −24 𝟗 𝟐
⇒ K-1 = 3 mod 26 = mod 26 = 10 POINTS
−17 5 −51 15 𝟏 𝟏𝟓
9 2 15 157 1 B
P1 = K C1 mod 26 =
-1 = mod 26 = =
1 15 11 180 24 Y
9 2 0 26 0 A
P2 = K C2 mod 26 =
-1 = mod 26 = =
1 15 13 195 13 N
⇒ P = BYAN 10 POINTS
