View source for CrypTool

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox software
| name = CrypTool

| screenshot = Ct 1.4.30 en.png<!-- Image name is enough -->
| caption = E-Learning Program for Cryptography
| screenshot alt = 
| collapsible = 
| author = 
| developer = Bernhard Esslinger
| released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1998}}
| discontinued = 
| latest release version = CT 1.4.42 (December 2021)<br />
CT 2.1 (release 2024.1) (January 2024)<!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} --><br />
JCT 1.0.9 (September 2023)
| latest release date = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} -->
| latest preview version = <!-- comment CT 1.4.31 Beta 6b (October 2013)<br />  -->
<!-- comment CT 2.1 (2018.2 Beta) (March 2018)<br /> -->| latest preview date = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} -->
| programming language = 
| operating system = CT1 and CT2: [[Microsoft Windows]],<br />JCT: Win, Linux and macOS
| platform = 
| size = 
| language = 
| language count = <!-- Number only -->
| language footnote = 
| genre = Cryptography, Encryption, Privacy, E-Learning
| license = [[Apache License|Apache Licence 2.0]]
| alexa = 
| website = {{URL|www.cryptool.org}}
| standard = 
| AsOf = 
}}
'''CrypTool''' is an [[open-source software|open-source]] project<ref>{{cite web |last1=Esslinger |first1=Bernhard |title=CrypTool: An Open-Source E-Learning Project for Cryptography and Cryptanalysis |website=Gesellschaft fuer Informatik, Crypto Day at SAP. This presentation delivers an overview. |url=http://fg-krypto.gi.de/fileadmin/fg-krypto/CrypTool-Project_Crypto_Day_Walldorf_2016-09_v09.pdf |publisher=University of Siegen |accessdate=26 September 2018 |date=22 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108175506/http://fg-krypto.gi.de/fileadmin/fg-krypto/CrypTool-Project_Crypto_Day_Walldorf_2016-09_v09.pdf |archive-date=8 January 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
that is a free [[e-learning]] software for illustrating [[Cryptography|cryptographic and cryptanalytic concepts]].



== History ==
The development of CrypTool started in 1998. Originally developed by German companies and universities, it is an [[open-source software|open-source]] project since 2001.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Esslinger |first1=Bernhard |title=CrypTool: Modern open-source e-learning programs for cryptography and cryptanalysis |url=https://www.frisc.no/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/finse2013-esslinger.pdf |website=Forum for Research and Innovation in Security and Communications |accessdate=26 September 2018 |date=23 April 2013}}</ref>

Currently 4 versions of CrypTool are maintained and developed: The CrypTool 1 (CT1) software is available in 6 languages (English, German, Polish, Spanish, Serbian, and French). CrypTool 2 (CT2), JCrypTool (JCT), and CrypTool-Online (CTO) are available in English and German.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CT1 Downloads - CrypTool |url=https://www.cryptool.org/en/ct1/downloads/ |access-date=2024-09-04 |website=www.cryptool.org}}</ref>
CrypTool 2 builds upon its predecessor, CrypTool 1 by introducing more cryptographic types and analysis tools.
<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thesis of Rachel J. McRae|url=https://local.cis.strath.ac.uk/wp/extras/msctheses/papers/strath_cis_publication_2747.pdf}}</ref>

The goal of the CrypTool project is to make users aware of how cryptography can help against [[network security]] threats and to explain the underlying concepts of cryptology.<ref>{{cite web |title=CrypTool for Awareness |website=CrypTool Portal |url=https://www.cryptool.org/en/ctp-education/awareness |accessdate=26 September 2018}}</ref>

CrypTool 1 (CT1) is written in [[C++]] and designed for the [[Microsoft Windows]] operating system.

In 2007, development began on two additional projects, both based on a pure-plugin architecture, to serve as successors to the original CrypTool program. Both successors regularly publish new stable versions:

* '''CrypTool 2'''<ref>CrypTool 2: ''[https://www.cryptool.org/trac/CrypTool2/wiki/WikiStart Developer site of the CT2 project]'' Besides release and beta versions, each day a so called "Nightly Build" is produced for download.</ref><ref>CrypTool 2: ''[https://www.facebook.com/CrypTool2 Facebook Site of the CT2 project]''</ref> (built with C#/.NET/WPF) (abbreviated CT2)
:uses the concept of [[visual programming]] to clarify cryptographic processes. Currently, CT2 contains more than 150 crypto functions.
[[File:Keysearcher.png|265px|Brute-force attack on a reduced version of AES in CrypTool 2]]

* '''JCrypTool 1.0'''<ref>JCrypTool 1.0: ''[https://github.com/jcryptool GitHub project of JCT]'' Beta versions are updated each weekend as so called "Weekly Builds" for download.</ref><ref>JCrypTool 1.0: ''[http://www.cryptool.org/en/jcryptool Site of the JCT project]''</ref> (built with Java/Eclipse/RCP/SWT) (abbreviated JCT)
:runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and offers both a document-centric and a function-centric perspective. Currently, JCT contains more than 100 crypto functions. One of its focal points are modern digital signatures (like Merkle trees and [[SPHINCS]]).
The CrypTool project is now being developed at the research institute CODE at the [[Bundeswehr University Munich]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Kryptografie-Lernsoftware CrypTool wird jetzt an der Bundeswehr-Uni in München weiterentwickelt |url=https://www.secupedia.de/news/kryptografie-lernsoftware-cryptool-wird-jetzt-an-der-bundeswehr-uni-in-muenchen-weiterentwickelt/ |access-date=29 August 2024 |website=Secupedia|date=8 May 2023 }}</ref>

CrypTool is used in schools, universities,<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Sasa |last1=Adamovic |first2=Marko |last2=Sarac |first3=Mladen |last3=Veinovic |first4=Milan |last4=Milosavljevic |first5=Aleksandar |last5=Jevremovic |title=An Interactive and Collaborative Approach to Teaching Cryptology |journal=Educational Technology & Society |year=2014 |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=197–205 |jstor=jeductechsoci.17.1.197}}</ref> companies and agencies for education and awareness training.<ref>{{cite web |title=Winter School in Information Security. Overview presentation, Finse 1222, April 21-26, 2013 |url=http://www.frisc.no/arrangementer/finse-winter-school-2013/ |website=Forum for Research and Innovation in Security and Communications |accessdate=26 September 2018 |date=6 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite FTP |last1=Eckert |first1=Claudia |author1-link=Claudia Eckert (computer scientist)|last2=Clausius |first2=Thorsten |last3=Esslinger |first3=Bernd |last4=Schneider |first4=Jorg |last5=Koy |first5=Henrik |title=CrypTool, 2003-08-07 |url=ftp://ftp.etech.haw-hamburg.de/pub/Cryptool/CrypToolPresentation_1_3_05_en.pdf |server=Technische Universitaet Darmstadt |url-status=dead |accessdate=26 September 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kopal |first1=Nils |title=Solving Classical Ciphers with CrypTool 2 |url=http://www.ep.liu.se/ecp/149/010/ecp18149010.pdf |website=Linköping University Electronic Press |accessdate=26 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ronald |first1=Kenneth |title=Crypto Casino |url=https://coinplay.com |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref>



==See also==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}

*[[Asymmetric key algorithm]]
*[[Topics in cryptography]]
*[[Cryptosystem]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|http://www.cryptool.org/}}
* [http://www.cryptool-online.org CrypTool-Online]
* [http://www.mysterytwisterc3.org International Cipher Contest "MysteryTwister" (MTC3)]
* [http://www.cryptool.org/images/ct1/presentations/CrypTool1 – presentation-en.pdf Presentation about the CrypTool-1 program] with more than 100 slides and many screenshots

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[[Category:1998 software]]
[[Category:Free educational software]]
[[Category:Cryptographic software]]
[[Category:Free software programmed in C++]]
[[Category:Free software programmed in Java (programming language)]]
[[Category:Free software programmed in C Sharp]]
[[Category:Windows-only free software]]
[[Category:Cryptography contests]]
[[Category:Cryptologic education]]
   <!-- # The CrypTool subproject MTC3 is a bi-lingual crypto contest. -->