murshid_islam said:i was reading simon singh's the code book. it describes different systems of cryptography. but what i wanted to know was how to 'crack' different ciphers.
can any suggest anything i can read.
thanks to anyone who can help.
finchie_88 said:what type of cipher are you talking about, the book mentions many types of cipher
finchie_88 said:Are you doing the puzzles at the back of the book? I done them
The way you solve that is to use frequency analysis on the characters in the "sample", then you can use that to guess what symbols stand for what. It helps if you look at the frequency of the characters before and after each character, since vowels are found before and after almost anything, but constanants are slightly less 'social'.
finchie_88 said:Yes, its harder than without, but you can still do it when there are homophones involved. It just requires a little guess work.
"The Code Book" by Simon Singh is about the history and development of cryptography, the science of secret writing. It explores the fascinating stories and techniques behind some of the most famous codes and ciphers in history.
No, "The Code Book" is written for a general audience and does not require a background in math or science. Singh explains complex concepts in a clear and accessible way, making it a great read for anyone interested in the topic of cryptography.
"The Code Book" stands out for its engaging storytelling and historical context. Rather than just focusing on the technical aspects of cryptography, Singh delves into the real-life stories of codebreakers and code-makers, making the book both informative and entertaining.
While "The Code Book" does provide some basic information about different types of codes and ciphers, it is primarily a book about the history of cryptography. If you are interested in learning how to create your own codes, you may need to supplement your reading with additional resources.
Absolutely. While some of the techniques described in "The Code Book" may be outdated, the book provides a solid foundation for understanding the principles of encryption and the ongoing battle between code makers and code breakers. It also discusses modern-day applications of cryptography, such as online security and data encryption.