COMP434 Cryptography and Network Security

Sample questions and answer keys

3 17
Q1. Use Hill cipher and matrix A−1 = � � to decrypt ciphertext
8 25
CIKKGEUWEROY.

Answer.

MISSISIPIK

Q2. Use Playfair cipher and secret key KEYWORD to encrypt plaintext
SECRETMESSAGE.

Answer.

NORDKUNKQZPCND

Q3. Block cipher is under consideration. Find the number of possible

reversible mappings if the block size is 32.

Answer.

There are 232 distinct integers of size 32. There are 232! permutations
of 32 objects. So the answer is 232!.

Q4. Suppose you are to encrypt the text “The winter is here”. You and
the receiver have agreed on the common secret key “EXAM”. You send the
encrypted text and the cipher system used to the receiver. You have two
alternatives here; either you encrypt using Vigenère or Playfair. Choose
one of these methods and use the method to encrypt the text.

Q5. Which of the following is NOT a common use of block cipher?

(a) S-box

(b) F-function

(c) One-way trap-door function

(d) Confusion and diffusion

Q6. Use the Vigenere ciher with the keyword ABCD to decrypt the
ciphertext

CSASTPKVSIQUTGQUCSASTPIUAQJB
 PLAINLETTERS
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
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 A
C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B
D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C
E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D
F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E
G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F
H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G
K I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H
E J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I
Y K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J
L L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K
E M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L
T
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M
T
O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
E
P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O
R
Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P
S
R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q
S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R
T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S
U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T
V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U
W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V
X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W
Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X
Z 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

Answer:

CRYPTOISSHORTFORCRYPTOGRAPHY