Caesar used Encryption and so should You
Ave, Caesar. The great Caesar used encryption to secure himself, because he knew his privacy was important. Do you really think he'd let his personal life be trampled by snoops, or allow his military plans to get seen by enemy spies? He used encryption, and he used it effectively.
However, he was limited to just basic shifting.. Although effective in a time before computers, it's significantly less effective in this era. Let's see how quickly you can smash through this Caesarian Shift, also know as a ROT.
V'z fher rira lbh pna svther bhg jung guvf fnlf.
Vs abg, jryy, ururu, lbh zhfg or n ovt qhaqreurnq.
Vs lbh pna ernq guvf, gura urer'f n frperg: Oek qhu belut.
Simple, right?
But useless.
If you want something better, I can help you out.
First, go to https://pidgin.im/ and download the newest version of Pidgin, assuming you're at a PC.
Pidgin is instant messaging software, but also has IRC functionality. It's very useful for a lot of things, so I recommend it, although there are other options, such as Jitsi for the PC, and Xabber or ChatSecure for Android or iOS.
I recommend making an account on an XMPP server, and perhaps even an IRC server! You can also add accounts from other services such as AIM or MSN, and even Facebook, although you might have to hunt down a plugin for the latter.
There are lots of XMPP servers, and almost all of them are free. Just do an internet search on "XMPP servers". Yeah, easy! Then just make an account on their website, and then log into that account on Pidgin. Ctrl+A.
After downloading and installing Pidgin, head on over to https://otr.cypherpunks.ca/ and download the newest version of OTR.
OTR is "Off-The-Record Messaging", and installs an encryption algrorithm that Pidgin can use to encrypt your messages.
This is what your encrypted text looks like without the key.
OTR encryption is designed to allow for deniability. This means that if someone says "Did you write this message?" You can say no, and they'd have no proof that you wrote it. You can't be falsely incriminated, because there's no reason to believe you wrote it. Nor can you be rightfully incriminated. The encrypted messages can be spoofed and faked, and there's no proof that any were actually sent by you, even if they say they're from you.
OTR encryption keys are automatically generated, and you're able to delete them any time you want. There's a different key for each conversation, and even a different key if you just feel like changing it. Forcefully decrypting a message might be possible for even the best hacker, but ten or twenty of them? What a hassle, right?
You can configure the OTR plugin in the Tools > Plugin > Configure Plugin menu, and set it in such a way that you're pleased. Experiment, and see what works and what's a hassle.
Make sure you enable it by going to the Tools menu on Pidgin, then to Plugins, and clicking the checkbox that says "Off-the-Record Messagin".
If you want to make some new friends or allies, leave your XMPP (or other) address in the comments.
Add some buddies, and when they confirm the union, get some interesting conversation going. Make sure your OTR button on the chat window says "Unverified" or "Verified", and not "Not private".
Anyways, now you know how to encrypt your messages. You're on the level of Caesar.
You're playing on the field of gods and kings, so speak your mind.
Use your new power well.
This article is written by @heretechkitten. She's an coauthor and 100% of the SBD goes to her. This article is part of Steemit Crypto Challenge. We will post more about the world of encryption and ciphers, so that you are prepared for the puzzles. Don't miss the Steemit Crypto Challenge.
Nice article, upvoted!
Great tool for crypto-chat! I've used it in the past and always enjoyed working with it. Thanks for your share! Your information is very clearly formatted and expressed!
Thank you very much.
I had fun writing this article too!
I just use Wickr. - Probably not as secure as Pidgin, but it doesn't require the same technical skills for the reciever of the message.
If it has a backdoor that the government or admins can access, then it's no good.
The only enemy I fear when it comes to reading my messages would be the government. Not "hackers".
So I personally do not trust Wickr, although I'd like to be able to.
Where is that backdoor though?
Wickr is closed source, so you wouldn't know.
So, you just claim it have a backdoor for governments to use, without actually knowing?
It's not that I know it has a backdoor or not.
It's that I don't know, and thus, I can't trust it.
I can't verify the code myself, so I can't say whether it has a backdoor or not.
But after the NSA stuff got leaked, it's smartest and safest to assume that it does, until you can verify it personally.
Very useful, espacially these days :-)
Thank you for sharing.
I had never heard of Wickr. Interesting comments. I'm beginning to think privacy is no longer possible.
It is. The problem is that the government is suspicious on those who try to defend their rights.
Absolutely, I agree with that......they must be feeling threatened. They know they are losing control through decentralization and encryption.
I use wickr to buy weed. Never been a problem, since it's just as anonymous as pidgin. Only difference is the encryption.
Privacy online, is not possible at all. - You can make it harder for the government, but once it's online, it's online. No matter what you do, there's always a way to crack it. (Same with your house. You can put all the locks on it you want, but I have a lockpicking set, might take me a while, but I'll get in at some point.)
I use Bitcoin address' public/private keys for encryption, if you decode that (in around 20000 years) you may also take my bitcoin funds.
Now, you wont only post puzzles, but also inform about possible encryption methods! Beware! you may spoil the fun of it!
I think we need to inform people. With the Steemit Crypto Challenge I see a good way to combine fun and informing the same time. Explaining different encryption methods make the challenge also open to more people. I heard from many that the challenges are too hard. Now they have the tools to understand what is applied and can use it on the next challenge (Caesar shift).
And most of all, since you are thinking of great tasks we will have enough to for our puzzlers
I want to see how people handle the linguistic puzzles.
As I told you over DM, if you can make people learn something, bedised of having fun, you can be more than proud.
Leaving a positive mark on people will make them always remember you for something.
I'm glad to see encryption getting more coverage and attention! I use Signal for encrypted text messaging and phone calls. Great tool, open-source, and free to use. Easy too!
Thanks! We might make an article to it :)
I used to have Pidgin with OTR.
I use also tutanota(encrypted same as OTR but for emails, and then Confide, for android, and also, Wikr if I dont feel secure enough.
I'm a paranoic for security, and I love that stuff.
They are watching us
Who's watching? the third eye?
Next time I will using encryption for my shopping list. It will be fun to see other people confused faces :D But really though, great post!