Identify, translate, and crack unknown ciphers. A comprehensive suite for the digital archaeologist.
Cipher Identifier (Magic Scanner)i
Magic Scanner
Description: A heuristic analyzer that detects common encoding and encryption patterns.
History: Modern digital forensics tool used for rapid triage of unknown data formats.
How-to: Paste your unknown message and click Identify. Use the "Apply" button to instantly jump to the detected tool.
Paste an unknown message below and I'll try to identify the encryption or encoding used.
Binary (Base 2, 8, 10, 16)i
Binary Tools
Description: Converts text into various numerical bases (Binary, Octal, Decimal, Hex).
History: Formalized by Gottfried Leibniz in 1703; the foundation of all modern digital computation.
How-to: Select your base, enter text to encode into numbers, or enter space-separated numbers to decode.
Jacquard Cipheri
Jacquard Cipher
Description: Maps letters to 6-bit loom-style punch patterns inspired by Jacquard cards.
History: Inspired by Joseph-Marie Jacquard's programmable loom (early 1800s), a precursor to punch-card computing.
How-to: Enter plain text to encrypt into 6-bit codes, or enter space-separated 6-bit codes to decrypt back to letters.
Caesar Cipheri
Caesar Cipher
Description: A simple substitution cipher that shifts every letter by a fixed amount.
History: Named after Julius Caesar, who used a shift of 3 to protect his military correspondence.
How-to: Enter your message, set the shift value (1-25), and click Encrypt or Decrypt.
Vigenère Cipheri
Vigenère Cipher
Description: A method of encrypting alphabetic text using a keyword to determine shifts.
History: Invented in 1553; it was once considered "indecipherable" for over 300 years.
How-to: Enter a keyword and your message. Every letter shifts based on the key's position in the alphabet.
Atbash Cipheri
Atbash Cipher
Description: A monoalphabetic substitution cipher formed by reversing the alphabet.
History: An ancient Hebrew cipher dating back to 500 BC, used in various biblical texts.
How-to: A becomes Z, B becomes Y, etc. It is its own inverse—applying it twice returns the original text.
Hexadecimal Cipheri
Hexadecimal
Description: A base-16 numbering system representing data using 0-9 and A-F.
History: Vital in computing to represent binary data in a more compact, human-readable format.
How-to: Convert standard text into its Hex equivalent or decode hex strings back into readable text.
Base64i
Base64 Encoding
Description: Encodes binary data into 64 safe ASCII characters for text-based transmission.
History: Introduced in 1992 as part of the MIME standard for email and web data.
How-to: Paste your text to encode it into a Base64 string (often ending in "=").
Base-36 & Base-62i
Alphanumeric Bases
Description: High-radix encodings that use numbers and letters (case-insensitive for 36, case-sensitive for 62).
History: Commonly used in URL shorteners and for compressing large numbers into short IDs.
How-to: Enter large integers or text blocks to convert them into compact alphanumeric strings.
Cryptographic Hashesi
Hash Generator & Lookup
Description: One-way functions that generate a unique signature (fingerprint) for any input.
History: MD5 (1991) and SHA (1995) are the backbone of digital integrity and password security.
How-to: Generate a hash for security, or use the "Lookup" button to check a hash against a local dictionary.
Morse Codei
Morse Code
Description: A method of transmitting text information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks.
History: Developed in 1837 by Samuel Morse for the electric telegraph.
How-to: Use dots (.) and dashes (-) separated by spaces for letters and slashes (/) for words.
Literary & Thematic Ciphersi
Literary Ciphers
Description: Advanced tools for book-based encryption, text extraction, and musical cryptography.
History: These methods were favored by scholars and spies who used everyday literature to hide messages.
How-to: Use the specialized sub-tools for Book ciphers, Acrostics, or Musical note translation.
Ciphers based on text extraction, musical notes, and running keys.
Book / Running Key Cipheri
Book / Running Key Cipher
Description: Uses a shared text (a book or any key text) to generate a keystream that is combined with the message letter-by-letter.
History: A classic hand-cipher technique; the key text acts as an ever-changing Vigenère key, making it far harder to break than a short repeating keyword.
How-to: Enter your message and a key text (at least as long as the message), then Encrypt or Decrypt.
Acrostic / Mesostic / Telestichi
Acrostic / Mesostic / Telestich
Description: Extracts a hidden message from the first, middle, or last letter of each line of text.
History: Acrostics date back to ancient Greek and Hebrew poetry; poets and authors have long hidden names or phrases within verse.
How-to: Paste multi-line text, choose whether to extract the first (Acrostic), middle (Mesostic), or last (Telestich) letter of each line, then Extract.
Baconian Cipheri
Baconian Cipher
Description: Encodes each letter as a unique 5-character sequence of two symbols (traditionally A and B).
History: Devised by Sir Francis Bacon in 1605 as a steganographic cipher, since the A/B pattern can be hidden using two typefaces or fonts.
How-to: Enter text to encrypt into A/B sequences, or enter A/B (or 0/1) groups to decrypt back to letters.
Musical Cryptographyi
Musical Cryptography
Description: Maps letters to musical notes using a chosen preset or a custom motif, so a message can be hidden in sheet music.
History: Used by composers such as Bach (B-A-C-H), Schumann (ASCH), and Shostakovich (DSCH), who embedded their names as musical motifs in compositions.
How-to: Pick a preset and base octave (or define a custom motif), then convert text To Notes or notes back From Notes.