We're sorry but this app doesn't work properly without JavaScript enabled. Please enable it to continue.

This lesson's interactive features are locked, please to keep using them

Stream Ciphers

The Caesar cipher, other substitution ciphers, and the "one-time pad" are all examples of stream ciphers.

A stream cipher is a symmetric key cipher where plaintext digits are combined with a key stream. In a stream cipher, each plaintext digit is encrypted one at a time with the corresponding digit of the keystream, to give a digit of the ciphertext stream.