Smooth Cryptics

caesar is cracking,
you talk in encrypted lines,
peels like an onion

Ciphered Realms: A Journey Through Cryptology

Introduction

Smooth Cryptics is my personal journey into the world of cryptography. From ancient cipher wheels to modern encryption algorithms,
this path has taught me how to speak the language of secrets - and how to protect them.
What started as curiosity soon became a hands-on dive into secure communication, mathematical beauty, and digital mischief.
Milk & Eel accompany me through Caesar puzzles, AES vaults, and signature verification schemes -
all to understand how secrets are kept, shared, and sometimes stolen.

Topics Covered

  • Week 1: Classical Ciphers I

    Caesar, Atbash, ROT13, frequency analysis, manual encryption/decryption

  • Week 2: Classical Ciphers II

    Vigenère, Mono Substitution, Playfair, Rail Fence cipher, Kasiski Examination + letter pattern detection

  • Week 3: Encoding & Obfuscation

    Morse code (including timing logic), binary and ASCII encoding, Base64 and hex encoding, onion-layer encryption

  • Week 4: Steganography & Hidden Channels

    basic image steganography with LSB hiding, creative text-hiding and zero-width spaces

  • Week 5: Modern Ciphers I

    ECB vs CBC comparison, Random IVs, padding, block size logic, file-based encryption & decryption

  • Week 6: Authentication & Hashing

    hash functions (SHA-256, MD5, SHA-1), message Authentication Codes (MAC, HMAC), password hashing & salting

  • Week 7: Real-World Encryption Use Cases

    HTTPS, TLS; and how encryption works in browsers, PGP & email encryption basics, certificates & public key chains

  • Week 8: Keys, Key Exchange, and Public-Key Cryptography

    symmetric vs asymmetric encryption, Diffie-Hellman key exchange, RSA basics (keypair, encrypt, decrypt, verify)

Outcome

By completing Smooth Cryptics, I learned how to:

  • Understand classical and modern encryption methods
  • Practice encoding, obfuscation, and key exchange
  • Explore authentication, integrity, and digital signatures
  • Apply cryptography in playful and practical ways
  • Build confidence using real cryptographic libraries like PyCryptodome
  • Strengthen Python coding through meaningful simulations
This path helped me build confidence in cryptography fundamentals and prepared me for more advanced studies in:
  • Cybersecurity,
  • CTF hacking,
  • and Secure Systems Design.

Project Gallery

Take a look at all my Smooth Cryptics Projects:

Deep Dive

Once the surface is smooth, the cryptics deepen:

  • Stream ciphers & One-Time Pads
  • Digital Signatures & Certificate Chains
  • Cryptanalysis with real tools: steghide, hashcar, gpg
  • Challenge: Break leaks, decrypt puzzles
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