CP3404 Information Security Assignment Questions 2025| JCU

Assignment: Cryptanalysis + Tutorial

Overview

In this assignment, you will decrypt a given ciphertext using the specified cipher technique, documented in a report. Following the decryption process, you will create a 10-15-minute recorded tutorial presentation to teach others about the given cipher technique. This involves explaining the historical background of the cipher, its strengths and weaknesses, and a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to encode and decode messages using the cipher. This should be supported by your own decryption of the ciphertext as an example. The tutorial should also touch on potential use cases for the cipher and explain its relevance in modern cryptography.

This assignment will not only help you improve your technical understanding of cryptographic ciphers but also enhance your ability to communicate complex concept effectively to others, a valuable skill in information security. We recommend following the Assertion-Evidence approach for presentations.

Key Requirements

There are two key deliverables that you are required to produce for this assignment.

1. Ciphertext Decryption Report

• You will be provided with details of a cipher that you must learn (e.g., Vigenère cipher, Caesar cipher, Playfair cipher, etc.) – see Appendix 1.
• You will be given a ciphertext to decode using the above method – see Appendix 2.
• Document your step-by-step process for decrypting the plaintext message in a detailed a clear manner, explaining each action taken, any assumptions made, and any challenges faced during the process.

2. Tutorial Presentation

Create a 10–15-minute video tutorial that should cover the following:

Historical Background:

Provide a brief history of the cipher, including who created it, its original purpose, and any significant events or uses related to it.

Strengths and Weaknesses:

Explain the key strengths and weaknesses of the cipher. Consider its security in the historical context versus modern cryptographic standards.

Step-by-Step Encoding and Decoding:

Walk through the encoding and decoding process using the cipher. Be sure to use your decryption of the given ciphertext as an example, illustrating how someone would encode and decode messages using this method.

Potential Use Cases:

Discuss the types of use cases for which the cipher might be useful, both historically and in modern cryptographic applications.

Real-World Relevance:

Briefly touch on how this cipher (or similar ciphers) is relevant in today’s cryptographic world, including its role in understanding modern encryption methods.