Project 1:Applied Cracking

150 points total [50 pts code/effort, 100 points ciphertext]

Teams of 1-3 people are allowed

Due: October 4, 2004 @ 5 PM

In this project, you will create a tool to crack various blocks of ciphertext. The three blocks
of ciphertext use three different types of encryption (Caesar cipher, columnar transposition, and a
polyalphabetic cipher). Note that the actual encryption scheme used may not follow this order.

Write a program in a programming language of your choice to assist you in cracking the ciphertext.
Do not use commercial or open-source software to assist you in this process.

For the project report, turn in a 1/2 to 1 page summary discusses the techniques you employed (even if you
were unsuccessful). For each block of ciphertext that you cracked, submit the text correctly formatted (i.e.
spaces included) on separate pieces of paper after the project summary. A tar/gzip or zip file of your code
should also be submitted to the instructor (striegel@nd.edu).

CIPHER TEXT BLOCKS
* Block 1
* Block 2
* Block 3
* Extra Credit Block 1
* Extra Credit Block 2

Extra Credit problems:

25 points each (The first 3 teams to crack this block will receive the points and yes, you can get > 100%).

Hints ( to be added as time goes on)