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I've invented a way of encryption where there are keys which represent a certain cipher alphabet, whether it be a scrambled alphabet, shifted alphabets, numbers or symbols/pictographs.

For example, a letter R with the number 2 above it equals E in Rot13 but, and R with a 1 above it is I in Atbash.

Is this method already invented?

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  • $\begingroup$ So basically, you have a set of ciphers, and you note which cipher is used for each character above the encoded character? $\endgroup$
    – Cort Ammon
    Sep 20, 2018 at 2:18
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    $\begingroup$ How is the key made? $\endgroup$
    – Paul Uszak
    Sep 20, 2018 at 3:29
  • $\begingroup$ Cort Ammon has the idea. The key is a set of numbers, characters, letters or what have you to note the specific cipher(s) used in the message. $\endgroup$
    – Neo1009
    Oct 1, 2018 at 23:30

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Maybe not the precise scheme, but having elements in the key select a particular cipher is pretty common - mainly by persons starting crypto. All in all they are generally not secure and end up discussing Kerckhoffs's principle.

It is not easy to create a modern, secure cipher by alternating between a lot of insecure classical ciphers. No doubt it can be done, but this scheme is not intricate enough for that; it will fail basic randomness tests and will probably fall to frequency analysis as well.

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  • $\begingroup$ At least you've recognized that selecting the algorithms is a function of the information within the key. That's a step ahead of some other schemes that I've seen proposed (and devised myself when I was a novice playing around). $\endgroup$
    – Maarten Bodewes ♦
    Sep 20, 2018 at 21:27

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