Tools to decrypt/encrypt Rail Fence automatically. Rail Fence cipher is a transposition cipher consisting in writing a text in zig-zag and read it from left to right.
Rail Fence (Zig-Zag) Cipher - dCode
Tag(s) : Transposition Cipher
dCode is free and its tools are a valuable help in games, maths, geocaching, puzzles and problems to solve every day!
A suggestion ? a feedback ? a bug ? an idea ? Write to dCode!
Rail Fence (Zig-Zag) Cipher
Rail Fence Decoder
Rail-Fence Encoder
Tools to decrypt/encrypt Rail Fence automatically. Rail Fence cipher is a transposition cipher consisting in writing a text in zig-zag and read it from left to right.
Answers to Questions
How to encrypt using Rail Fence cipher?
Rail Fence Encryption uses an integer for the number of levels of the zigzag.
The encoded message is written in zig-zag (like a rail fence/sawtooth) along a path with N levels/floors.
Example: Encrypt DCODEZIGZAG with N=3 is writting
| D---E---Z-- |
| -C-D-Z-G-A- |
| --O---I---G |
The cipher message is read by rows.
Example: The encrypted message is DEZCDZGAOIG
How to decrypt Rail Fence cipher?
RailFence decryption requires to know the number of levels N.
Example: Decrypt the message DEZCDZGAOIG with N=3
Write the expected zigzag form and complete it by lines, before reading as zig zag
Example:
| X---X---X-- |
| -X-X-X-X-X- |
| --X---X---X |
| D---E---Z-- |
| -C-D-Z-G-A- |
| --O---I---G |
Example: The original plain text is DCODEZIGZAG.
How to recognize Rail Fence ciphertext?
A message encoded by Rail-Fence has an index of coincidence equal to that of the language of the original text.
Frequency analysis reveals usual occurrences of common letters similar to a plain text.
How to decipher Rail Fence without the number of levels?
Rail Fence can be cracked by testing all levels from 2 to N. Use the Brute-force attack button.
What are the variants of the Rail Fence cipher?
There are several variations:
- The fence may begin with a peak or a hollow (up or down).
Example: A...E
.B.D.
..C.. (↘↗ hollow)
Example: ..C..
.B.D.
A...E (↗↘ peak)
- The first letter is not necessarily the base of the peak or hollow, the zig zag can start in the middle (equivalent to add spaces at the beginning)
Example: ....D.
.A.C.E
..B... (One shift)
- It is possible to allow the spaces and punctuation, which shifts the characters.
What is the difference between Rail Fence and ZigZag?
None, Rail Fence is the original word, ZigZag is the mnemonic term.
When Rail-Fence have been invented?
No date is recognized.
Source code
dCode retains ownership of the source code of the script Rail Fence (Zig-Zag) Cipher online. Except explicit open source licence (indicated Creative Commons / free), any algorithm, applet, snippet, software (converter, solver, encryption / decryption, encoding / decoding, ciphering / deciphering, translator), or any function (convert, solve, decrypt, encrypt, decipher, cipher, decode, code, translate) written in any informatic langauge (PHP, Java, C#, Python, Javascript, Matlab, etc.) which dCode owns rights will not be released for free. To download the online Rail Fence (Zig-Zag) Cipher script for offline use on PC, iPhone or Android, ask for price quote on contact page !
Questions / Comments
- Rail Fence Decoder
- Rail-Fence Encoder
- How to encrypt using Rail Fence cipher?
- How to decrypt Rail Fence cipher?
- How to recognize Rail Fence ciphertext?
- How to decipher Rail Fence without the number of levels?
- What are the variants of the Rail Fence cipher?
- What is the difference between Rail Fence and ZigZag?
- When Rail-Fence have been invented?
or 
