Dialog Solitaire encryption and key generation (Menu Crypt/Decrypt \ Symmetric (classic))

You can reach this dialog via the menu entry Crypt/Decrypt \ Symmetric (classic) \ Solitaire.

This dialog serves to generate a keystream with the Solitaire algorithm.

Remark 1:
If your plaintext or your ciphertext consist of more than 65.535 letters, the rest of the text is cutted. In this case an information-box appears at the beginning of the dialog.

This keystream can be used for encryption of a plaintext as well as for decryption of a Solitaire ciphertext. These different procedures differenciates each other only by clicking either the Encrypt or the Decrypt Button. The plaintext or the ciphertext have to be opened in CrypTool as a document, before you start this dialog.

Remark 2:
CrypTool has the possibility to absolve an automatical or semi-automatical cryptanalysis (Solitaire analysis) on a ciphertext, which is encrypted with Solitaire.

To the keystream generation

Please follow the numbers of the frames (groupings) in this dialog (1. to 3.). If you want to correct something in a previous frame, please restart with frame 1.

Grouping 1 a: Number of cards (classic: 52 +2)
Please choose the number of cards for passing through the Solitaire algorithm.
Usually 54 cards are used (52 + 2 jokers). This number of cards is also recommended by the developper of the algorithm Bruce Schneier and is the default value.
Also it is possible to use less than 54 cards (not less than 3 = 1 + 2 jokers).

Grouping 1b: Defining the cards' order
Please choose the prefered initial deck. There are six different possibilities. The "Ascending" order is the default value.

For decryption in this grouping the same initial deck has to be chosen as the one, which was used for encryption.

Grouping: "Optional: Enter password"
After choosing the order of cards in grouping 1 b., you can modifiy the initial deck through a password. Enter the password (max 1024 letters), other signs are depressed. Is your password entered correctly, click the Button Modify the initial deck and the password modifies the card order. You can also click the button more than once. For each time the password will be modifiy the card deck once more.
For decryption you have to enter the same password and to click the Button Modify the initial deckas often, as for the encryption.
For Example: If you enter the password "test" and click the Button Modify the initial deck twice it has the same result as you enter the password "testtest" and click the Button Modify the initial deck once.

Grouping: "Optional: Own Choice"
This grouping is only activated, if you chose "Own Choice" in grouping 1 b.. Please construct your prefered initial deck by clicking the Buttons 1-54 in your wished order. if you make a mistake, please click the Reset-Button and restart your enter. The values on the buttons represents the card values, as you can see in the Solitaire description. While you are constructing your initial deck, you can see the current deck in the output field "Initial deck" in the grouping "Output of the different states of the card deck and of the generated keystream". When you reach the number of cards, which you chose in 1 a., this grouping becomes deactivated.

Grouping 2: Generating the keystream (automatically or manually)
This grouping gives two alternatives for generating the keystream.

Remark 3:
If you chose in grouping 1b. "Own Choice", these two buttons become active, when the initial deck is completed. That means if each active button in grouping "Own Choice" is clicked.

Grouping 2 a: Manual steps of the Solitaire algorithm
This grouping becomes active if you clicked in grouping 2 the Manual button. If you want to do in the same way, the actual Solitaire algorithm does, click the buttons (Step 1 bis Step 5) in ascending order. Until enough keystream letters are generated. After each step you can see the modification of the card deck in the output field "Final deck". A new keystream letter is only generated in step 5.

Remark 4:
Consists your plaintext for example 100 letters and you generated only 15 keystream letters yet (manually), you can click the Button Generate rest. So the last keystream letters (here: 100-15) are generated automatically. In the small text field beside the button Step 5 you can see the number of created keystream letters and the number of needed keystream letters.
After generating a keystream, with the same number of letters as the plaintext/ciphertext (max 65.535), the buttons Encrypt, Decrypt and the 3 Save buttons becomes active.

Save

Encrypt
If you click this button the ciphertext is generated by using the keystream and the plaintext.

Decrypt
If you click this button the plaintext is generated by using the keystream and the ciphertext.

After clicking these buttons Encrypt / Decrypt you leave the dialog and the created ciphertext or the created plaintext appears in a new file in the CrypTool main window.

Cancel
With this button you can leave the dialog always.