Tools for encrypting and decrypting data with multi-layered encryption, combining several algorithms to strengthen the security of sensitive information online.
Multi-Layered Ciphers - dCode
Tag(s) : Cryptography
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Multi-Layered Ciphers
Mixed and Multi-Layer Ciphers
In cryptography, mixed (or multi-layered) ciphers refer to the combined use of several successive techniques to enhance security.
List of combined encryption methods
ADFGVX Cipher (1915) - encryption combining a substitution (via Polybius Cipher) which transforms the letters into coordinate pairs, followed by a transposition (a shuffling of the columns)
Enigma Machine (1940) - electromechanical device where each key press triggers a polyalphabetic substitution, supplemented by a substitution layer (the connection table)
VIC Cipher (1950) - The manual encryption used by Soviet spies combines a substitution of letters of varying lengths, and the result is then subjected to Double Transposition Cipher
Nihilist Cipher (1880) - Used by Russian revolutionaries, it begins with a Polybius Cipher to which numbers from a repeated numeric key are added.
Advent of modern encryptions
des (1977) - global standard from the 70s to the 90s. It uses a Feistel structure which alternates permutations (transposition) and substitutions via S-Boxes.
aes (1997) - current standard operates via a substitution-permutation network (SPN), performing substitutions, transpositions, and additions with a key.
Answers to Questions (FAQ)
What is multi-layered encryption?
Multi-layered encryption (also called mixed cipher or combined cipher or onion cipher) refers to a cryptographic method where data is protected by several overlapping encryption algorithms, applied sequentially or in parallel. Each layer typically uses a different type of encryption and/or distinct keys. The goal is to enhance overall security by compensating for the individual weaknesses of each algorithm.
However, the security of multi-layered encryption depends on how the layers are composed. Poor composition can weaken the system instead of strengthening it.
How do you encode with a mixed cipher?
How to decode a multi-layered cipher?
To decrypt a multi-layered encrypted message, apply the operations in the reverse order of encryption.
An error in the key, order, or parameters will generally prevent the message from being recovered correctly.
What are the differences between single-layer and multi-layer encryption?
The major differences include:
— Security: Single-layer encryption relies on a single algorithm and a single key. Multi-layer encryption combines several encryption functions. Security can be strengthened if the algorithms are independent and properly composed. However, stacking several weak algorithms does not necessarily produce a strong system.
— Complexity: Single-layer encryption is simpler to design, analyze, and maintain. Multi-layer encryption involves rigorous management of keys, dependencies, and cryptographic parameters.
— Performance: Single-layer encryption introduces a single computational cost. Multi-layer encryption accumulates costs. If an asymmetric layer is involved, latency can increase significantly.
— Resilience: If the keys and algorithms are independent, compromising a single layer is not always enough to reveal the original message. However, if the layers share structural weaknesses or correlated keys, this resilience disappears.
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