ciphertext
Scrambled secret communication
Ciphertext is text that has been transformed by encryption, rendering it unreadable without the proper key to decode it.
The original readable message is called plaintext; once encrypted, it becomes ciphertext: The intercepted transmission was ciphertext—gibberish without the decryption key.
The term appears in cryptography and computer security contexts.
Unencoded readable information
- encryptionConverting data into code
- decryptionConverting ciphertext to plaintext
- algorithmFinite problem-solving procedure
- keyLock-opening device
cryptogram · encoded · scrambled · obfuscated · transposition · substitution · symmetric · asymmetric
Solving secret communications
- cryptanalysisStudy of breaking ciphers
- decryptReverse encoding process
- EnigmaGerman encryption apparatus
- brute forcePower over technique
side-channel · cryptology · pattern recognition · Turing · Bletchley Park
Quality of protecting secrets
- secureProtected from harm
- privateRestricted to certain parties
- classifiedRestricted from disclosure
- concealedMade invisible deliberately
hidden · protected · authentication · integrity · SSL · TLS · end-to-end · data protection
plaintext
Unencoded readable information
- encryptionConverting data into code
- decryptionConverting ciphertext to plaintext
- algorithmFinite problem-solving procedure
key · cryptogram · encoded · scrambled · obfuscated · transposition · substitution · symmetric · asymmetric · RSA
codebreaking
Solving secret communications
- cryptanalysisStudy of breaking ciphers
- decryptReverse encoding process
- EnigmaGerman encryption apparatus
brute force · side-channel · cryptology · pattern recognition · Turing · Bletchley Park
confidentiality
Quality of protecting secrets
- secureProtected from harm
- privateRestricted to certain parties
- classifiedRestricted from disclosure
concealed · hidden · protected · authentication · integrity · SSL · TLS · end-to-end · data protection · secure channel
- codes and cipherscode, decode, decrypt, encrypt, plaintext
- ciphersplaintext, Enigma machine, encryption key, decryption, encrypt
- Codebreakingcodebreakers, codebreaking, cryptanalysis, codes, decryption
- cryptographyAES, encryption, decryption, RSA, key
- encryptionencryption, encryption key, cryptography, end-to-end encryption, plaintext
- signals intelligenceSIGINT, signals intelligence, intercept, interception, intercepts