What?
Type of Symmetric Encryption where you come up with a random binary string (the key), then perform XOR on your plaintext (as binary obviously). The result is indistinguishable from random. To decrypt, you do XOR on it again.
Some gang shi:
- It’s damn cool. This is one of few encryption algorithms that the ciphertext is genuinely indistinguishable from random.
Some less gang shi:
- You can only use each key once. Otherwise it becomes quite predictable. (You can do statistical analysis on the letters and stuff). If it gets reused, it’s called a Two Time Pad.
- The key has to be as long as the plaintext.