A Cryptographic Algorithm Based on ASCII and Number System Conversions along with a Cyclic Mathematical Function

Abstract

Data encryption and decryption in an efficient manner are the challenging aspects of modern information theory. An efficient cryptology algorithm is introduced in this paper to offer comparatively higher security of data. In this algorithm, the plaintext to be encrypted is converted into unprintable characters. For encryption, a competent technique is applied based on ASCII and number system conversions which make this algorithm different from others. In the steps of the algorithm, each character of the plaintext is first converted into its equivalent ASCII (decimal) which is further converted to its equivalent octal and hexadecimal numbers. Then, using some matrix manipulations on the decimal, octal and hexadecimal representation of each character the character is transformed to 5 unprintable characters to form the intermediate cipher text. After that, every unprintable character in the intermediate cipher text is further converted into a different unprintable character using a cyclic mathematical function. Performing three steps of processing, the final encrypted text is produced that gives higher level of security. In this way, as there can have total 32 unprintable characters, it will take much time (for a plaintext of only 4 characters it takes 1.53 years to break down) if the intruders try to decrypt the original message with every probable combination. Though the length of the encrypted message is larger than original message in this proposed algorithm, it offers higher security for the real-time communications.