A ciphertext-only attack is a type of cryptanalysis where the attacker has access solely to the ciphertext of a message but not the plaintext or the key used for encryption. In this scenario, the attacker aims to deduce the plaintext or derive the key through various techniques, often relying on patterns or statistical analysis. This form of attack highlights the vulnerabilities in classical ciphers, emphasizing the importance of key management and encryption strength.
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