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Code and ciphers: Julius Caesar, the Enigma and the internet

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<strong>the</strong> decipher key, d, is used instead of <strong>the</strong> encipher key, e, at stage (4). It is a<br />

consequence of <strong>the</strong> way that d has been determined that<br />

(C I ) d �B I<br />

or, in o<strong>the</strong>r words, that <strong>the</strong> original message is recovered.<br />

Example 13.3<br />

Encipher <strong>the</strong> message<br />

COMEXATXNOON<br />

using <strong>the</strong> RSA System with n�3127 <strong>and</strong> encipherment key, e,�17.<br />

Encipherment<br />

We convert <strong>the</strong> text into numbers using Table 1.1 in <strong>the</strong> usual way. Since<br />

<strong>the</strong> modulus, 3127, contains four digits we break <strong>the</strong> text up into pairs of<br />

letters,viz:<br />

CO ME XA TX NO ON<br />

0214 1204 2300 1923 1314 1413<br />

We now have to compute <strong>the</strong> value of each of <strong>the</strong> six four-digit numbers<br />

raised to <strong>the</strong> power 17 with respect to <strong>the</strong> modulus 3127. The computation<br />

is laborious by h<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> so is only given in detail for <strong>the</strong> first<br />

number, 0214. The o<strong>the</strong>r values are easily obtained by a simple computer<br />

program.<br />

Our task <strong>the</strong>n is to compute (0214) 17 (mod 3127). Whenever possible<br />

in modular computations of this kind we use repeated squarings to get<br />

powers of <strong>the</strong> number <strong>and</strong> we <strong>the</strong>n multiply toge<strong>the</strong>r appropriate<br />

powers. Since 16�2 4 we can get close to <strong>the</strong> required power <strong>and</strong> so we<br />

proceed as follows:<br />

so<br />

<strong>and</strong><br />

hence<br />

(214) 2 �45 796�14�3127�2018�2018 (mod 3127)<br />

(214) 4 �(2018) 2 �4 072 324�1302�3127�970�970 (mod 3127)<br />

(214) 8 �(970) 2 �940 900�300�3127�2800�2800 (mod 3127),<br />

(214) 16 �(2800) 2 �7, 840, 000�2507�3127�611<br />

�611 (mod 3127).<br />

Encipherment <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>internet</strong> 179

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