Rot 13: Difference between revisions
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input abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz | input abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz | ||
output nopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklm | output nopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklm | ||
The alphabet on the lower line is '''rot'''ated by '''13''' places. | |||
The decryption uses exactly the same code. Rot 13 is its own inverse, since (x+13)+13 = x modulo 26. | The decryption uses exactly the same code. Rot 13 is its own inverse, since (x+13)+13 = x modulo 26. | ||
Rot 13 is never used for real security, since breaking it is trivial. However, it is fairly commonly used in [[Usenet news]] postings or [[email]]. If a post gives away something - the ending of a movie or the punchline of a joke - it is said to contain a [[spoiler]]. Some readers might wish not to read it, because it would spoil their enjoyment of the film. On the other hand, the writer may consider mentioning it essential to the discussion. The solution is to rot-13 encrypt that part of the message and let readers decide whether to decrypt and read it. | Rot 13 is never used for real security, since breaking it is trivial. However, it is fairly commonly used in [[Usenet news]] postings or [[email]]. If a post gives away something - the ending of a movie or the punchline of a joke - it is said to contain a [[spoiler]]. Some readers might wish not to read it, because it would spoil their enjoyment of the film. On the other hand, the writer may consider mentioning it essential to the discussion. The solution is to rot-13 encrypt that part of the message and let readers decide whether to decrypt and read it. | ||
Revision as of 18:28, 1 September 2010
Rot 13 is a Caesar cipher that is never used for real security. It simply replaces every letter with the letter that comes 13 later in the alphabet, mathematically
x = (x+13) modulo 26.
So the encryption is:
input abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz output nopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklm
The alphabet on the lower line is rotated by 13 places.
The decryption uses exactly the same code. Rot 13 is its own inverse, since (x+13)+13 = x modulo 26.
Rot 13 is never used for real security, since breaking it is trivial. However, it is fairly commonly used in Usenet news postings or email. If a post gives away something - the ending of a movie or the punchline of a joke - it is said to contain a spoiler. Some readers might wish not to read it, because it would spoil their enjoyment of the film. On the other hand, the writer may consider mentioning it essential to the discussion. The solution is to rot-13 encrypt that part of the message and let readers decide whether to decrypt and read it.