

The result will be taken under modulo division if there is a case where any character reaches the end of the alphabet. This means that any letter x is equal to (x + n), where n is the shift number and x is a character. With a shift of three, A is shifted to D and B is shifted to E.** The last characters like Y or Z will follow the loop and be shifted to A, B or C. Suppose we are given a shift of three, then each character of a message will be shifted to the next third character. Let’s learn about this with the help of the above example. To use the Caesar cipher technique, a shift will be given to us, which will be applied to encrypt our message. In encryption a given message will be transformed into another formatted message. Shift : Integer between zero and twenty-five which can tell us how many shifts will be applied on a character. It may or may not be formatted.Ĭiphertext : The resulting message formed when an encryption algorithm is applied on the plaintext. Plaintext : The original message which needs to be sent to the end user. In some algorithms applying the same method can decrypt the encoded message to its original form. TerminologyĮncryption : The process of changing a given text or message to an encoded format using any encryption algorithm so that it cannot be read normally and can only be accessed by an authorized user.ĭecryption : The process of converting the encoded or encrypted message back to its original form.

This algorithm was named after Julius Caesar who was a Roman general and statesman. In cryptography there are many algorithms that are used to achieve the same, but Caesar cipher is the earliest and easiest algorithm used among encryption techniques. For example with a shift of 1, A would be replaced by B, B would become C, and so on.

It’s simply a type of substitution cipher, i.e., each letter of a given text is replaced by a letter some fixed number of positions down the alphabet. The Caesar cipher is a technique in which an encryption algorithm is used to change some text for gaining integrity, confidentiality, or security of a message. The Caesar Cipher technique is one of the earliest and simplest method of encryption technique.
