e059 WIP

e059.py

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+"""
+Each character on a computer is assigned a unique code and the preferred
+standard is ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange). For
+example, uppercase A = 65, asterisk (*) = 42, and lowercase k = 107.
+
+A modern encryption method is to take a text file, convert the bytes to ASCII,
+then XOR each byte with a given value, taken from a secret key. The advantage
+with the XOR function is that using the same encryption key on the cipher text,
+restores the plain text; for example, 65 XOR 42 = 107, then 107 XOR 42 = 65.
+
+For unbreakable encryption, the key is the same length as the plain text
+message, and the key is made up of random bytes. The user would keep the
+encrypted message and the encryption key in different locations, and without
+both "halves", it is impossible to decrypt the message.
+
+Unfortunately, this method is impractical for most users, so the modified method
+is to use a password as a key. If the password is shorter than the message,
+which is likely, the key is repeated cyclically throughout the message. The
+balance for this method is using a sufficiently long password key for security,
+but short enough to be memorable.
+
+Your task has been made easy, as the encryption key consists of three lower case
+characters. Using cipher1.txt (right click and 'Save Link/Target As...'), a file
+containing the encrypted ASCII codes, and the knowledge that the plain text must
+contain common English words, decrypt the message and find the sum of the ASCII
+values in the original text.
+"""
+
+def encrypt(text, key):
+    encrypted = []
+    key_n = 0
+    for char in text:
+        key_c = ord(key[key_n])
+        encrypted.append(ord(char) ^ key_c)
+        key_n += 1
+        if key_n >= len(key):
+            key_n = 0
+    return encrypted
+def decrypt(encrypted, key):
+    decrypted = []
+    key_n = 0
+    for char in encrypted:
+        key_c = ord(key[key_n])
+        decrypted.append(chr(char ^ key_c))
+        key_n += 1
+        if key_n >= len(key):
+            key_n = 0
+    return ''.join(decrypted)
+
+def get_key(encrypted, key_len=3):
+    keys = []
+    chars = []
+    valid_chars = range(ord('a'), ord('z') + 1)
+    for i in range(key_len):
+        chars.append(list(valid_chars))
+    # Loop through the encrypted text, clearing out invalid key chars
+    key_n = 0
+    valid_results = valid_chars
+    #valid_results.append(ord(c) for c in ' .?!')
+    for value in encrypted:
+        for c in chars[key_n]:
+            result = value ^ c
+            if result not in valid_results:
+                chars[key_n].remove(c)
+        key_n += 1
+        if key_n >= key_len:
+            key_n = 0
+    print chars
+    return keys
+    
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    e = encrypt('Myles is a ridiculous dog who loves his bone', 'abc')
+    get_key(e)
+    with open('cipher1.txt', 'r') as codefile:
+        codes = [int(c) for c in codefile.readline().split(',')]
+