ADFGVX

The ADFGVX cipher is a cryptographic technique involving a combination of Polybius Square and Columnar transposition, utilizing a key phrase to encrypt plaintext into a grid using ADFGVX as coordinates.

Preserve Capitals

Preserve Symbols

Preserve Whitespace

Encode

Keyword

Square Keyword

Input Message

Output Message

Explanation

The ADFGVX cipher is a fractionating transposition cipher and was named after the six letters used in the cipher.

This cipher was notable for its use of a 6x6 grid to encode letters, making it more complex than many other ciphers of its time.

To encode a 6x6 grid, usually called the Polybius square, is created. The rows and columns are labeled with the letters A, D, F, G, V, and X.

Each letter of the plaintext is replaced with its corresponding pair of letters from the grid. For example, if the letter 'C' corresponds to 'FD', then 'C' is replaced with 'FD' in the ciphertext.

The resulting fractionated ciphertext is then transposed using a keyword or keyphrase. The transposition can be done in various ways, such as columnar transposition.

The final step is to arrange the transposed ciphertext into a single line to produce the encrypted message.

The use of both fractionation and transposition makes the ADFGVX cipher more secure than simple substitution ciphers. The fractionation step increases the complexity of the cipher, making it resistant to frequency analysis, while the transposition step further scrambles the ciphertext.

Overall, the ADFGVX cipher is a historically significant encryption technique that demonstrates the use of both fractionation and transposition in cryptography.

Facts

It was used extensively by the German Army during World War I, but it was eventually broken by French cryptanalyst Georges Painvin in 1918.

It was considered one of the most secure ciphers of its time.

It was used in part because it is able to be transmitted quickly using Morse code.