Atbash Cipher Algorithm

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Administrator Posted in Computer Science, Cryptography, Python - Intermediate, Python Challenges, Solved Challenges

The Atbash Cipher is a monoalphabetic substitution cipher that was originally used for the Hebrew alphabet. It is one of the earliest known subtitution ciphers to have been used. As opposed to a Caesar Cipher, the Atbash cipher does not need a key. It is hence easier to break!

The Atbash Cipher maps each letter of an alphabet it to its reverse, so that the first letter (e.g. A) becomes the last letter (e.g. Z), the second letter (B) becomes the second to last letter (Y), and so on.

Using the Latin Alphabet

Plain	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z
Cipher	Z	Y	X	W	V	U	T	S	R	Q	P	O	N	M	L	K	J	I	H	G	F	E	D	C	B	A

Using the Hebrew Alphabet

	Aleph	Bet	Gimel	Daleth	Heh	Vav	Zayin	Het	Tet	Yodh	Kaph	Lamed	Mem	Nun	Samech	Ayin	Peh	Tzady	Koof	Reish	Shin	Taw
Plain	א	ב	ג	ד	ה	ו	ז	ח	ט	י	כ	ל	מ	נ	ס	ע	פ	צ	ק	ר	ש	ת
	Taw	Shin	Reish	Koof	Tzady	Peh	Ayin	Samech	Nun	Mem	Lamed	Kaph	Yodh	Tet	Het	Zayin	Vav	Heh	Daleth	Gimel	Bet	Aleph
Cipher	ת	ש	ר	ק	צ	פ	ע	ס	נ	מ	ל	כ	י	ט	ח	ז	ו	ה	ד	ג	ב	א

Encryption/Decryption Algorithm

Note that the same algorithm can be used to encrypt a plaintext into a ciphertext or to decrypt a ciphertext into a plaintext.

The flowchart below is used to encrypt or decrypt text using the Atbash Cipher. To fully understand this algorithm, you will need to understand how ASCII code works. The algorithm above is using the ASCII codes for the uppercase alphabet from letter A (ASCII 65) to letter Z (ASCII 90).

Video TutorialFlowchart