a general form of cryptanalysis applicable primarily to block ciphers, but also to stream ciphers and cryptographic hash functions.

In cryptography, linear cryptanalysis is a general form of cryptanalysis based on finding affine approximations to the action of a cipher.

(cryptography, euphemistic) The extraction of cryptographic secrets by coercion or torture.

Cryptanalysis of the Enigma ciphering system enabled the western Allies in World War II to read substantial amounts of Morse-coded radio communications of the Axis powers that had been enciphered using Enigma machines.

+ Timeline of key events Time Event September 1939 War breaks out in Europe.