A very simplified version of the Rijndael cipher submitted as coursework during A Level (2017)
This simulation demonstrates the processes of a typical block cipher, utilizing simplifications to substitute topics beyond A-Level Computer Science, Maths and Further Pure Maths specifications. The simulation will be developed into an executable program. At the beginning of the program, a GUI will provide a background introduction to modern ciphers. The relevance of block ciphers will be illustrated (i.e. the need to encrypt information using data matrices), along with their strengths and vulnerabilities. Once the user has been introduced to block ciphers, they will be able to run an adaptation of a simplification of the Rijndael cipher in a 128-bit, 192-bit or 256-bit key AES configuration (albeit, with a few abstractions for the A-Level context). They will be prompted to enter a fixed-length string message (simulating the plaintext), run the cipher algorithm to encrypt it, and view the encrypted data. They can then decrypt the message to reverse the process, where they will be able to appreciate the speed at which block ciphers can encrypt and decrypt data. Through each step of the cipher's algorithm, the user can view the code executed and can step through the execution using predefined breakpoints to inspect the variables and current execution process, learning step-by-step the process of the cipher.
Note: runs on Windows x64 architechure only. Intended to be executed within the Visual Studio IDE.