Cracking Flash Drive Crypto

Crypto cracking today usually requires a lot of dedicated custom computers and

the continual work of a cryptoanalyst (a branch of what is called "pure

mathematics" in the university system).

As a result, most hackers today focus their energies on getting the information

that can quickly decrypt something - for example, the encryption used to store

information in most simple databases (e.g. the Ashley Madison database that

was recently hacked) uses simple XOR obfuscation. Simple USB drive

encryption also used simple XOR obfuscation too! Other systems still rely on

substitution ciphers (which can be cracked with frequency analysis). Two

examples that you explore to demonstrate how easy it is to crack simple crypto

(XOR obfuscation and substitution ciphers) is in the "Crypto Extras.zip" file that

your instructor will provide. Read the Crypto Extras.doc file within that zip with

directions and supporting theory.