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Problem 27 (Matrix Encryption Mod 5)

In the Problem (Simple Matrix Encryption), we took a plain text message written in columns of a matrix $M$ and a matrix $A$ and used the product $AM$ to encode a message. Let's now combine matrix encryption with modular arithmetic to obtain a new encryption scheme. Once we have done this, we'll be one step closer to understanding modern encryption techniques. To simplify our work, let's use a small alphabet consisting of 5 letters. Instead of using the set $S=\{a,b,c,d,e\}$, let's just use numbers for our letters and we'll consider the alphabet $S=\{0,1,2,3,4\}=\mathbb{Z}_5$. Given the plain text "bad bed" or "10 31 43", we can encode it in the columns of the matrix $$M=\begin{bmatrix}1&3&4\\0&1&3\end{bmatrix}.$$ An 2 by 2 encryption key using coefficients mod 5 is a 2 by 2 matrix $A=\begin{bmatrix}a&b\\c&d\end{bmatrix}$ where $a,b,c,d\in \mathbb{Z}_5$. Here are the steps to our encryption scheme.

  • First convert the plain text to a matrix $M$ where the letters are place in the matrix top to bottom, column by column.
  • Take the encryption key $A$ and compute the product $AM$.
  • Reduce all the entries in $AM$ mod 5. So the cipher text only consists of the numbers in $\mathbb{Z}_5$.

Answer the following questions.

  1. Suppose we let $A=\begin{bmatrix}4&2\\1&3\end{bmatrix}$. Why is this matrix not suitable as an encryption key? (Hint: what is the determinant, and why is that a problem?)
  2. Suppose we let $A=\begin{bmatrix}2&1\\4&3\end{bmatrix}$. The inverse of $A$ if we ignore modular arithmetic is $\frac{1}{2}\begin{bmatrix}3&-1\\-4&2\end{bmatrix}$. We know that we can replace $-4$ with $1$ when working modular 5. Similarly we can replace $-1$ with a positive number. We need to find the multiplicative inverse of 2 when working modular 5. Find a value $b\in \mathbb{Z}_5$ so that $2b\mod 5=1$. This number $b$ is the inverse of $2$ modular 5.
  3. State a matrix $B$ with coefficients in $\mathbb{Z}_5$ so that $AB$ is the identity matrix after reducing each entry mod 5. Actually perform the product by hand, and show how this matrix product reduces to the identity.

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