Team Number: 014
School Name: Albuquerque Academy
Area of Science: Computer Science
Project Title: Fractal Encryption
The goal of this project is to create a better way to encode information. We will research the methods of encryption used now, observing their strengths and weaknesses and how we might improve on them. First of all, we hope to create an encoding system that utilizes fractals. Secondly we must decide how long we want these codes to remain safe. Long term encryption requires greater computational power, and is often unnecessary, but provides greater overall security. Something that we might experiment with is to try and disguise the code as something that would not normally be considered as such, i.e. a letter to someone's mother, etc. We figure one of the best ways to have an uncrackable code is using something that wouldn't be interpreted as a code in the first place so that no one would try to crack it. Regardless, an encryption code should be able to withstand attack from someone that has full knowledge of the algorithm, and its implementation. We plan on using C++ to encode the information and use Java for graphical representation of our results. From this we hope to achieve a way of coding that may pass under the radar so to speak, or one that is untouchable.
Problem Solution:
To create an algorithm that is secure we must work on improving our code. From starting small with an easy encryption program and then complexifing it to make it more secure we will be able to have a working code very quickly and will not become overwhelmed. We plan on including some way of encrypting using fractals. We also want to use steganography to hide our encrypted messages. We would hide the messages by putting them into pictures, movies or .wav files. Thus we would be able to pass our messages under the eyes of our onlookers, hopefully without them finding out. Then we would test our program by submitting it to testing. The testing would consist of having other people trying to crack our encryption code.
Progress to Date:
So far we have created a simple program that encrypts using pseudo random numbers. "Walking through the flames Dancing wanting to" becomes "Paijone%rhshpah"vmb!bkcm`w Gcngkje!wclujle&pm" We have also been researching cryptography and normal ways encryption. Also fractals and wavelets will be useful and are another topic for our research. We will continue to make our program more advanced.
Expected Results:
Our final results should be a program that can successfully encrypt messages and hide them in some sort of media. We should be able to have a working code that utilizes either fractals or wavelets. The code should be very secure and well hidden. How well it works we plan on testing through normal cryptanalysis. We would like to get some other people to try to break our code. Thus allowing us to see how well our code functions and where our flaws are so that we may correct them.
Team Members
Sponsoring Teacher(s)
Project Mentor(s)