Follow these steps to explore the Vernam Cipher and Perfect Secrecy concepts through interactive scenarios:

Phase 1: Scenario Selection and Understanding

STEP 1: Select a learning scenario from the dropdown menu. Choose from 6 educational scenarios that demonstrate different aspects of cryptographic security and perfect secrecy:

• Scenario 1: Perfect Secrecy (Proper Usage)
• Scenario 2: Key Reuse Attack
• Scenario 3: Shorter Key Vulnerability
• Scenario 4: Pattern Recognition Attack
• Scenario 5: Known Plaintext Attack
• Scenario 6: Statistical Analysis Attack

STEP 2: Read the scenario description carefully to understand:

• The cryptographic context and setup
• The specific plaintext and key being used
• The vulnerability or security feature being demonstrated
• Expected learning outcomes for this scenario

Phase 2: Interactive Experimentation

STEP 3: Use the interactive demo section to experiment with the Vernam cipher:

• Observe the pre-loaded plaintext and key values from the scenario
• Understand how these values relate to the scenario's learning objectives
• Click "🔐 Encrypt" to see the XOR operation in action
• Compare your result with the expected ciphertext displayed

STEP 4: Experiment with modifications (optional):

• Try changing the plaintext or key values to see different outcomes
• Observe how the Vernam cipher responds to different inputs
• Notice patterns or behaviors that relate to the scenario's security assessment

Phase 3: Knowledge Testing

STEP 5: Make your predictions in the "Test Your Understanding" section:

• Predict Ciphertext: Enter what you think the encryption result will be
• Security Assessment: Determine if the scheme is "Secure" or "Insecure" based on the scenario

STEP 6: Click "✅ Check My Answer" to receive comprehensive feedback:

• Verification of your ciphertext prediction against the correct XOR result
• Evaluation of your security assessment based on cryptographic principles
• Detailed explanations about the scenario's security implications

Phase 4: Learning and Analysis

STEP 7: Study the detailed feedback to understand:

• Perfect Secrecy Conditions: When the Vernam cipher achieves theoretical perfect security
• Common Vulnerabilities: Key reuse, pattern predictability, insufficient key length, and information leakage
• Mathematical Principles: XOR operations, randomness requirements, and key distribution challenges
• Real-world Implications: Why these concepts matter in practical cryptography

STEP 8: Progress through all scenarios systematically to build comprehensive understanding:

• Start with Scenario 1 (proper usage) to understand the ideal case
• Work through attack scenarios (2-6) to identify vulnerabilities
• Compare and contrast different types of cryptographic weaknesses
• Develop intuition for evaluating encryption scheme security