What is the practice of breaking cryptographic systems?

• A. Cryptology
• B. Cryptography
• C. Cryptanalysis
• D. Kerckhoffs's Principle

Answer: (C)

Breaking cryptographic systems is cryptanalysis. This field is about examining algorithms, protocols, and implementations to uncover weaknesses and figure out how to recover plaintext or the secret key without authorized access. It includes techniques that exploit mathematical flaws, operational weaknesses, or side-channel information like timing or power leaks. Cryptography, by contrast, focuses on creating secure methods for encryption and decryption. Cryptology is the broader discipline that covers both creating and breaking cryptographic systems. Kerckhoffs's Principle is a design guideline stating that a secure system should remain secure even if everything about the system is public except the key, rather than describing the act of breaking itself.