CSIT 6000Q - Blockchain and Smart Contracts

Assignment 1 with Solutions

Problem 1: Transposition Ciphers (15 points)

Transposition ciphers rearrange the characters of the plaintext to form the ci-
phertext. Use the given key to encrypt and decrypt the following text using the
columnar transposition cipher method.

You can use the following online tool for this question: https://crypto.interactive-
maths.com/columnar-transposition-cipher.html

Problem 1.1 (7.5 points)

Encrypt the following message using a 5-column transposition cipher:

"Blockchain technology provides a decentralized ledger for secure transactions."

Solution 1.1
If we use the key: zmuxv, we get the following ciphertext:
LHELRECADESESOOACOOSELLRETANKNNYIDTZDOUATCIHGVANIEFCRCSBCTOPDEREGRRNI

Problem 1.2 (7.5 points)

Decrypt the following ciphertext that was encrypted using the following 4-
column transposition cipher key: pmwa

"GTGYIGSIVANTIGRMFNONAHESONIIONRLBNIVTWLLMETRELIVLNNELGISEYEAENDEATRLNETEFIURNEIELSAL"

Solution 1.2
By using the given key, the given ciphertext decrypts to:
thegreatestgloryinlivingliesnotinneverfallingbutinrisingeverytimewefallnelsonmandela

If we clean it up by introducing spaces appropriately, we get the following mes-

sage:

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”The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time we
fall.” -Nelson Mandela

Problem 2: Frequency Analysis of Substitution

Cipher (20 points)
The following ciphertext has been encrypted using a substitution cipher. Using
the frequency distribution of English letters and common digraphs, decrypt the
message and explain your method:
"Z OLMT GRNV ZTL, RM Z TZOZCB UZI, UZI ZDZB... RG RH Z WZIP GRNV ULI
GSV IVYVOORLM. ZOGSLFTS GSV WVZGS HGZI SZH YVVM WVHGILBVW, RNKVIRZO
GILLKH SZEV WIREVM GSV IVYVO ULIXVH UILN GSVRI SRWWVM YZHV ZMW KFIHFVW
GSVN ZXILHH GSV TZOZCB. VEZWRMT GSV WIVZWVW RNKVIRZO HGZIUOVVG, Z TILFK
LU UIVVWLN URTSGVIH OVW YB OFPV HPBDZOPVI SZH VHGZYORHSVW Z MVD HVXIVG
YZHV LM GSV IVNLGV RXV DLIOW LU SLGS. GSV VERO OLIW WZIGS EZWVI, LYHVHHVW
DRGS URMWRMT BLFMT HPBDZOPVI, SZH WRHKZGXSVW GSLFHZMWH LU IVNLGV KILYVH
RMGL GSV UZI IVZXSVH LU HKZXV..."

You can use the following online tool for this question: https://www.101computing.net/mono-
alphabetic-substitution-cipher/

Solution 2
Using the following key:
zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcba

We get the plaintext as:

”A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... It is a dark time for the Rebel-
lion. Although the Death Star has been destroyed, Imperial troops have driven the
Rebel forces from their hidden base and pursued them across the galaxy. Evading
the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighters led by Luke Skywalker
has established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth. The evil lord
Darth Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands
of remote probes into the far reaches of space. . . ”

Problem 3: Affine Cipher Encryption and De-

cryption (25 points)
Affine ciphers are a type of substitution cipher with the encryption function:

E(x) = (a · x + b) mod 26
where a and b are the keys and x is the numeric equivalent of a letter in the
alphabet.

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 You can use the following online tool for this question: https://cryptii.com/pipes/affine-
cipher

Problem 3.1 (7.5 points)

Encrypt the message ”SECUREHASH” using the key (a = 7, b = 3).

Solution 3.1
The encrypted message is: ZFRNSFADZA

The affine cipher encryption formula is:

E(x) = (a · x + b) mod 26
where:
• a=7

• b=3
• x is the numeric position of a letter in the alphabet (A = 0, B = 1, C =
2, . . . , Z = 25).
Let’s encrypt the message "SECUREHASH".

1. Convert each letter to its numeric equivalent:

S = 18, E = 4, C = 2, U = 20, R = 17, E = 4, H = 7, A = 0, S = 18, H = 7

2. Apply the encryption formula:

E(x) = (7 · x + 3) mod 26
• S = (7 · 18 + 3) mod 26 = (126 + 3) mod 26 = 129 mod 26 =
25 (Z)
• E = (7 · 4 + 3) mod 26 = (28 + 3) mod 26 = 31 mod 26 = 5 (F )
• C = (7 · 2 + 3) mod 26 = (14 + 3) mod 26 = 17 mod 26 = 17 (R)
• U = (7 · 20 + 3) mod 26 = (140 + 3) mod 26 = 143 mod 26 =
13 (N )
• R = (7 · 17 + 3) mod 26 = (119 + 3) mod 26 = 122 mod 26 =
18 (S)
• E = (7 · 4 + 3) mod 26 = (28 + 3) mod 26 = 31 mod 26 = 5 (F )
• H = (7 · 7 + 3) mod 26 = (49 + 3) mod 26 = 52 mod 26 = 0 (A)
• A = (7 · 0 + 3) mod 26 = (0 + 3) mod 26 = 3 mod 26 = 3 (D)

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 • S = (7 · 18 + 3) mod 26 = (126 + 3) mod 26 = 129 mod 26 =
25 (Z)
• H = (7 · 7 + 3) mod 26 = (49 + 3) mod 26 = 52 mod 26 = 0 (A)
3. Convert back to letters:
"ZFRNSFADZA"

Encrypted Message: "ZFRNSFADZA"

Problem 3.2 (7.5 points)

Decrypt the ciphertext ”AFCCXAXBDSFPXN” using the same key.

Solution 3.2
The decrypted message is: HELLOHOWAREYOU

Let’s decrypt the ciphertext "AFCCXAXBDSFPXN" using the key values a = 7

and b = 3.

Step 1: Decryption formula

The decryption formula for an affine cipher is:

D(y) = a−1 · (y − b) mod 26

where:

• y is the numeric value of the ciphertext letter (A = 0, B = 1, C =

2, . . . , Z = 25).
• a−1 is the modular multiplicative inverse of a modulo 26.
• b is the key value, which in this case is b = 3.

Step 2: Find a−1 (mod 26)

To find a−1 , we need a number such that:

7 · a−1 ≡ 1 mod 26
The modular inverse of 7 modulo 26 is 15 because:

7 · 15 = 105 ≡ 1 mod 26
Thus, a−1 = 15.

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Step 3: Convert the ciphertext into numeric val-
ues
Let’s convert each letter of the ciphertext "AFCCXAXBDSFPXN" into its corre-
sponding numeric value:

• A=0
• F=5
• C=2
• C=2
• X = 23
• A=0
• X = 23
• B=1
• D=3
• S = 18
• F=5
• P = 15
• X = 23
• N = 13

So, the numeric representation of the ciphertext is:

[0, 5, 2, 2, 23, 0, 23, 1, 3, 18, 5, 15, 23, 13]

Step 4: Apply the decryption formula

For each numeric value y, calculate:

D(y) = 15 · (y − 3) mod 26
Let’s apply the formula to each value:

1. A = 0:

D(0) = 15 · (0 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · (−3) mod 26 = −45 mod 26 = 7

7 corresponds to H.

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2. F = 5:

D(5) = 15 · (5 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · 2 mod 26 = 30 mod 26 = 4

4 corresponds to E.
3. C = 2:

D(2) = 15 · (2 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · (−1) mod 26 = −15 mod 26 = 11

11 corresponds to L.
4. C = 2 (again):

D(2) = 15 · (2 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · (−1) mod 26 = −15 mod 26 = 11

11 corresponds to L.

5. X = 23:

D(23) = 15 · (23 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · 20 mod 26 = 300 mod 26 = 14

14 corresponds to O.
6. A = 0 (again):

D(0) = 15 · (0 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · (−3) mod 26 = −45 mod 26 = 7

7 corresponds to H.
7. X = 23 (again):

D(23) = 15 · (23 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · 20 mod 26 = 300 mod 26 = 14

14 corresponds to O.
8. B = 1:

D(1) = 15 · (1 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · (−2) mod 26 = −30 mod 26 = 22

22 corresponds to W .
9. D = 3:

D(3) = 15 · (3 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · 0 mod 26 = 0

0 corresponds to A.

10. S = 18:

D(18) = 15 · (18 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · 15 mod 26 = 225 mod 26 = 17

17 corresponds to R.

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 11. F = 5 (again):

D(5) = 15 · (5 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · 2 mod 26 = 30 mod 26 = 4

4 corresponds to E.
12. P = 15:

D(15) = 15 · (15 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · 12 mod 26 = 180 mod 26 = 24

24 corresponds to Y .
13. X = 23 (again):

D(23) = 15 · (23 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · 20 mod 26 = 300 mod 26 = 14

14 corresponds to O.

14. N = 13:

D(13) = 15 · (13 − 3) mod 26 = 15 · 10 mod 26 = 150 mod 26 = 20

20 corresponds to U .

Step 5: Convert numeric values back to letters

The decrypted message is:

HELLOHOWAREYOU

Final Decrypted Message

The final decrypted message is:
”HELLOHOWAREYOU”

Problem 3.3 (10 points)

Provide the pseudocode for the affine cipher’s encryption and decryption algo-
rithms.

Solution 3.3

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Algorithm 1 AffineEncrypt(plaintext, a, b)
Input: plaintext, a, b
Output: encrypted text

Function AffineEncrypt(plaintext, a, b):

# Initialize an empty string to hold the encrypted message
encrypted text = ””

# Iterate through each character in the plaintext

for each character in plaintext do
if character is an alphabetic letter then
# Convert the letter to its numeric equivalent (0-25)
x = Numeric value of character (A = 0, B = 1, . . . , Z = 25)

# Apply the encryption formula

y = (a · x + b) mod 26

# Convert the numeric result back to a letter and add to en-

crypted text
encrypted letter = Corresponding letter for y
Append encrypted letter to encrypted text
else
# Non-alphabetic characters are added as they are
Append character to encrypted text
end if
end for

Return encrypted text

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Algorithm 2 AffineDecrypt(ciphertext, a, b)
Input: ciphertext, a, b
Output: decrypted text

Function AffineDecrypt(ciphertext, a, b):

# Find the modular multiplicative inverse of a modulo 26
a inverse = Modular multiplicative inverse of a mod 26

# Initialize an empty string to hold the decrypted message

decrypted text = ””

# Iterate through each character in the ciphertext

for each character in ciphertext do
if character is an alphabetic letter then
# Convert the letter to its numeric equivalent (0-25)
y = Numeric value of character (A = 0, B = 1, . . . , Z = 25)

# Apply the decryption formula

x = a inverse · (y − b) mod 26

# Convert the numeric result back to a letter and add to de-

crypted text
decrypted letter = Corresponding letter for x
Append decrypted letter to decrypted text
else
# Non-alphabetic characters are added as they are
Append character to decrypted text
end if
end for

Return decrypted text

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 Problem 4: Cryptographic Hash Functions and
Collisions (20 points)
Hash functions play a critical role in blockchain technology. Consider the fol-
lowing hash function:

H(x) = (x mod p) + (x mod q)

where p and q are large prime numbers.

Problem 4.1 (10 points)

Is this hash function collision-resistant? Justify your answer by providing an
example where a collision could occur.

Solution 4.1
This function is not collision-resistant. Example:
For x1 = 12 and x2 = 17, we get the same hash value: H(12) = H(17) = 7.

Problem 4.2 (10 points)

Explain why collision resistance is important for secure blockchain transactions.

Solution 4.2
Collision resistance prevents double-spending attacks by ensuring that two dif-
ferent transactions cannot produce the same hash.

Problem 5: Smart Contracts – Practical Appli-

cation
Consider the following incomplete pseudocode for a smart contract that handles
rental payments between a tenant (Alice) and a landlord (Bob). The smart
contract automatically transfers rental payments each month and can impose a
penalty for late payments.

Problem 5.1 (4 points)

Complete the missing condition in the payRent() function that ensures the ten-
ant can only pay rent once per month.

Solution 5.1:
1 require(isPaid == false, "Rent has already been paid this month
.");

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 Problem 5.2 (4 points)
Fill in the missing condition in payRent() to check if the payment is late. Use
the dueDate to determine if the tenant has missed the due date.

Solution 5.2:
1 if (block.timestamp > dueDate) {
2 // Apply penalty
3 rentAmount += penaltyAmount;
4 }

Problem 5.3 (4 points)

Fill in the missing condition in the resetPaymentStatus() function to ensure
it resets the payment status only at the start of a new month.

Solution 5.3:
1 require(block.timestamp > dueDate, "Cannot reset payment status
until the new month starts.");

Problem 5.4 (8 points)

Identify one logical flaw in the given pseudocode and explain how it could cause
unintended behavior in the contract. (Hint: Think about the situation when a
penalty is applied, and rent is paid late.)

Solution 5.4: One logical flaw is that when the tenant pays late, the penalty
is added to the rentAmount directly. This causes an issue because the increased
rentAmount (including the penalty) remains in effect for future months if it is
not reset after payment. This means future rent payments could incorrectly
include the penalty.
To fix this: After the payment is made, the rentAmount should be reset to
its original value (without the penalty) so that subsequent payments are not
affected by previous penalties.
Here’s how we can fix it in the payRent() function:
1 // Transfer rent to landlord
2 landlord.transfer(rentAmount);
3 isPaid = true;
4

5 // Reset rent amount after payment, if penalty was applied

6 rentAmount -= penaltyAmount;

This ensures that the penalty is applied only for the late payment and does
not persist into the next month.

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