marr-tem4

= Encryption =

Variables That Need To Be Controlled:
1. Location 2. Folder contents 3.Spelling 4. Person 5. Dictionary 6. Directions

Hypothesis
I hypothesize that The dictionary method will be a faster method to get into the encrypted folder than the "fake" password method.

Graph of Hypothesis


= **Experimental Design** =

My experiment will be conducted on my laptop, so really anywhere I am with my laptop. I will do the experiment on my own, but I might need a friend or two. I think I might need to do at least 5 Trials to get reliable data. While I conduct my experiment I will record the data on a printed out spread sheet. I will put pictures of the process and folders on the wiki.

**Materials list**

 * Laptop/Computer
 * Free version of 7-ZIP
 * 10-20 folders with the same content
 * Spread Sheet
 * Pencil
 * Snip-it program
 * Timer
 * Knowledge on 2 different methods of decryption
 * Dictionary
 * Friend



**Procedure**

 * Get onto Laptop/Computer
 * Download (if not already downloaded) 7-ZIP file archiver
 * Create 10 folders in Documents
 * Put the same contents in folders
 * Open 7-ZIP
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Find folders
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Encrypt 5 folders using a word in the dictionary leave 5 not encrypted (Use an easy password for the encryption, should be in lower case to make it easier)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tell your friend that they will need to use the dictionary (the one you used to find the password) and try every word until they get into the folder
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Time how how long it takes
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Record
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Change password using another word close to the first and close to the same length
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Re-peat 7-12 5 times
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Change to next method create a password the same length of the first password
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tell your friend to create a ___ letter long word using _ and _ letters and some more of their choosing all lower case, Timing them starts when they start to plan the password
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Have them type their password in, if fails, tell them to do a different word using directions from step 15 until they can get in
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If step 15-16 succeeds, type in a different password and repeat 15-16
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Repeat 15-17 5 times changing the password when a success and Record each time.

Background Research
Doing my background research I learned how to recover passwords in different ways. For example the Dictionary method which uses a dictionary and you have to type in every word until you crack the password. Anyone form Governments to people at home use Encryption on passwords and other files and also internet passwords. I learned about block ciphers called Tiny Encryption Algorithm's, these are known for their simple description and implementation. As I was looking though websites I read a part of an article that explained a symmetric key. A symmetric key is when two different computers have the same encryption code and therefor they will be able to communicate through that.

Conclusion
The original purpose of this experiment was to see if there was a science to encryption and decryption, and if there was how could you measure it? The results of the experiment were not very good. I do think there is a science to encryption, but its just trying to measure it that didn't work. The experiment just ended up as a lesson on how to use shortcuts on the computer and how to properly look through the dictionary. By the time I finished the first method it was apparent that the second would not work, therefore I decided that I was not going to do it.

Photos




Discussion
My hypothesis was can a person get into an encrypted file faster using the dictionary method or "fake" password method? Unfortunately my results did not support my hypothesis. I could not tell if there was a relationship because the experiment was so rocky I has to give more information than needed to do the experiment. Over all it is not a realistic experiment to do.