ciphertext-only attack
A cryptanalysis technique in which the analyst tries to determine the key solely from knowledge of intercepted cipher text (although the analyst may also know other clues, such as the cryptographic algorithm, the language in which the plain text was written, the subject matter of the plain text, and some probable plaintext words.)
Senses
(I)
A cryptanalysis technique in which the analyst tries to determine the key solely from knowledge of intercepted cipher text (although the analyst may also know other clues, such as the cryptographic algorithm, the language in which the plain text was written, the subject matter of the plain text, and some probable plaintext words.)
References
- IETF RFC 4949 (Internet Security Glossary)Jan 06, 2026RFC 4949 — Internet Security Glossary (Version 2)https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc4949.txtRFC 4949 is published by the IETF Trust and marked as "Distribution of this memo is unlimited". Verify IETF Trust copyright/licensing terms for reuse.Source: IETF RFC 4949 (rfc-editor.org).