One-Time Pad Encryption: The Ultimate Guide
Understanding the Key Features, Advantages, and Limitations of One-Time Pad Encryption | Karthikeyan Nagaraj
3 min readMar 27, 2023
Introduction:
In the world of cryptography, one-time pad encryption is considered one of the most secure methods of encrypting messages. One-time pad encryption, also known as OTP encryption, uses a random key that is only used once to encrypt plaintext. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to one-time pad encryption, including its key features, advantages, and limitations.
Key Features of One-Time Pad Encryption:
- One-time pad encryption is a symmetric key encryption method, meaning the same key is used for both encryption and decryption.
- It uses a random key that is the same length as the plaintext, making it impossible for an attacker to determine the key without prior knowledge.
- One-time pad encryption is theoretically unbreakable, as long as the key remains secret and is only used once.
- It does not require complex mathematical algorithms or large amounts of computing power, making it simple and efficient.