Exploring the Porta Cipher: A Comprehensive Guide
Understanding the Features, Encryption Process, Decryption Process, and Use Cases of the Porta Cipher | Karthikeyan Nagaraj
3 min readApr 17, 2023
Introduction:
- The Porta Cipher, also known as the Porta Square or Porta Rectangle, is a polygraphic substitution cipher that was first introduced by Italian cryptographer Giovanni Porta in 1563.
- It is a simple yet effective cipher that is widely used in various applications, including military communications, banking, and personal messaging.
- This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to the Porta Cipher, including its key features, encryption process, decryption process, and use cases.
Key Features of the Porta Cipher:
- The Porta Cipher is a polygraphic substitution cipher, meaning it replaces groups of letters rather than individual letters.
- It uses a tabula recta, also known as a Vigenère square or Vigenère table, to perform the substitution.
- The key to the Porta Cipher is a word or phrase that is repeated until it is the same length as the plaintext.
- The Porta Cipher is a symmetric key cipher, meaning the same key…
