In the Vigenère cipher, a message is encrypted using a secret key, as well as an encryption table

(called a Vigenere square, Vigenere table, or tabula recta). The tabula recta typically contains the
26 letters of the Latin alphabet from A to Z along the top of each column, and repeated along the
left side at the beginning of each row. Each row of the square has the 26 letters of the Latin
alphabet, shifted one position to the right in a cyclic way as the rows progress downwards. Once
B moves to the front, A moves down to the end. This continues for the entire square.

Figure 6: Tabula Recta

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After finalizing the plaintext, the person encrypting would then pick a secret key, which would help
encrypt and decrypt the message. Our example secret key here is:

BOXENTRIQ

The next step is repeating the secret key enough times so its length matches the plain text.

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Once the two lines are split into five-letter groups, start encrypting. Take one letter from the plaintext
group and a letter from the secret key group (we’re going to start with I and B), and find the entry in the
tabula recta where the row and column intersect. For this example, the first letter of the encrypted
cipher text is J.
Figure 7: Vigenere table example

Once you’ve done that for every character, your final encrypted text should look like this:

JAMVB OVGEV FMYMS CMIPZ SMAZJ SYMZP

You can use this cipher for short or long messages. Once you’ve mastered the tabula recta, the
encryption process is easy!

How to Decrypt it

If you have the secret key, decrypting is as easy as encrypting. You can work backwards using the tabula
recta. First repeat the secret key so its length matches the cipher text.

JAMVB OVGEV FMYMS CMIPZ SMAZJ SYMZP

Using the tabula recta, find the row that corresponds to the first letter in your secret key text- in our
case, B. In the B row, find the corresponding cipher text letter J. The vertical column where that cipher
text letter is located reveals the plaintext letter I.
Figure 8: Vigenère cipher table

The Vigenère cipher can also be described and then decrypted algebraically, by assigning each letter
from A to Z a value from 0 to 25, with addition being performed modulo 26.

How to Break It

Of course, these decryption methods only work if the secret key is known. In his initial attack against the
Vigenère cipher, Friedrich Kasiski had success by examining repeated strings of characters in the cipher
text, which could indicate the length of the secret key. This method is now called the Kasiski
examination. Finding more repeated strings of characters helps narrow down the length of the potential
secret key. Once the length of the secret key is known, the cipher text is rewritten into a corresponding
number of columns, with a column for each letter of the key. Each column is then made up of plaintext
that’s been encrypted by one Caesar cipher. The code-breaker then breaks the cipher text in a similar
way to a Caesar cipher.

Auguste Kerckhoffs improved on Kasiski’s method by matching each “column's letter frequencies to
shifted plaintext frequencies to discover the key letter (Caesar shift) for that column.” Once the code-
breaker knows each letter in the secret key, all they have to do is decrypt the cipher text using a
Vigenere square.

Another option is the key elimination method. If you guess the key length and then subtract the
ciphertext from itself, offset by the key length, it will eliminate the secret key. The result will be the
plaintext subtracted from itself, offset by the key length. If any words longer than the key length can be
guessed, their self-encryption can be searched for.
So generally
Key Length Difference and Security Strength/Status
Key length is a critical factor in determining the security strength of the Vigenère cipher. Longer
keys generally offer greater security because they create a more complex and extended repeating
pattern, making it harder for attackers to identify and analyze. A shorter key is more susceptible
to pattern recognition and cryptanalysis, potentially revealing the encryption pattern. Longer
keys, especially those derived from random sources, enhance security by introducing
unpredictability. The security status of the Vigenère cipher thus largely depends on key length
and randomness. A longer and more random key can elevate the cipher's security, while shorter
or predictable keys weaken it.
Key length in the Vigenère cipher dictates the level of security and resistance to cryptanalysis.
Longer keys provide a broader repeating pattern, complicating attempts to discern the underlying
keyword or the shifting scheme used in the cipher. This complexity makes it less prone to
traditional frequency analysis and other forms of pattern-based decryption. In contrast, shorter
keys may result in discernible repeating sequences, making the cipher vulnerable to techniques
like the Kasiski examination and the Friedman test. Thus, security strength directly correlates
with key length, with longer and random keys offering significantly greater protection against
unauthorized decryption and brute-force attacks.
Running Time Difference Between Different Key Lengths
The running time of the Vigenère cipher varies with key length, but the difference is typically
minor compared to the security impact. Longer keys require more computational effort due to
their extended pattern, but modern computing resources easily handle these additional
calculations. The primary effect of key length on running time is in automated cryptanalysis,
where longer keys demand more iterations and time to break the cipher. However, for typical
encryption and decryption tasks, the running time difference between different key lengths is
usually negligible, indicating that security considerations should take precedence over
performance concerns.
Although key length impacts the security strength of the Vigenère cipher, it has a relatively
minimal effect on running time during encryption and decryption. Longer keys may require
slightly more processing power due to the additional calculations involved in repeating the key
and shifting letters, but modern computers can handle this workload efficiently. The key length's
impact on running time becomes more apparent in cryptanalysis, where longer keys demand
more computational effort to identify and break the repeating pattern. However, for general use
in encryption and decryption, the difference in running time across varying key lengths is usually
negligible, suggesting that security considerations should remain the primary focus.