In the Caesar cipher, a key of 3 means that each letter in the plaintext is shifted three positions to the right in the alphabet.
Here's how it works:
- Plaintext: The original message you want to encrypt.
- Ciphertext: The encrypted message.
- Key: The number of positions each letter is shifted.
Example:
- Plaintext: "HELLO"
- Key: 3
- Ciphertext: "KHOOR"
Explanation:
- H shifts three positions to the right to become K.
- E shifts three positions to the right to become H.
- L shifts three positions to the right to become O.
- L shifts three positions to the right to become O.
- O shifts three positions to the right to become R.
Practical Insights:
- The Caesar cipher is a simple substitution cipher, making it easy to break.
- It is not considered secure for protecting sensitive information.
- It is primarily used for educational purposes or as a starting point for learning about cryptography.
