From aca1721a4186ec0c173253b1386a5bb691529177 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Manuel Bosisio <128630998+choppadebug@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 17:20:48 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Add README documentation for RC4 cipher

---
 Uncategorized/RC4/README.md | 104 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 104 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 Uncategorized/RC4/README.md

diff --git a/Uncategorized/RC4/README.md b/Uncategorized/RC4/README.md
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+++ b/Uncategorized/RC4/README.md
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+# RC4 (Keystream + Stream Cipher)
+
+📌 Description
+--------------
+
+**RC4** (Rivest Cipher 4) is a symmetric stream cipher designed by Ron Rivest in 1987. It is known for its simplicity and speed in software, generating a **pseudorandom keystream** that is combined with plaintext to produce ciphertext.
+
+RC4 has historically been used in protocols such as SSL/TLS and WEP, but it is now considered insecure due to multiple discovered vulnerabilities.
+
+* * * * *
+
+⚙️ Keystream Generation (Pseudo-Random Generation)
+--------------------------------------------------
+
+RC4 operates using an internal state consisting of:
+
+-   A permutation array `S` of 256 bytes
+-   Two indices `i` and `j`
+
+### 1\. Key-Scheduling Algorithm (KSA)
+
+Initializes the permutation `S` using the secret key:
+
+-   Start with:
+
+    S[i] = i for i = 0..255\
+    j = 0
+
+-   For each `i`:
+
+    j = (j + S[i] + key[i mod keylength]) mod 256\
+    swap(S[i], S[j])
+
+This step mixes the key into the internal state.
+
+* * * * *
+
+### 2\. Pseudo-Random Generation Algorithm (PRGA)
+
+Generates the keystream byte-by-byte:
+
+-   For each output byte:
+
+    i = (i + 1) mod 256\
+    j = (j + S[i]) mod 256\
+    swap(S[i], S[j])\
+    t = (S[i] + S[j]) mod 256\
+    output S[t]
+
+The resulting sequence is a **pseudorandom keystream** used for encryption.
+
+* * * * *
+
+🔐 Encryption & Decryption (XOR)
+--------------------------------
+
+RC4 is a stream cipher, meaning encryption is performed by combining the keystream with plaintext using **bitwise XOR**:
+
+ciphertext = plaintext ⊕ keystream
+
+Decryption uses the same operation:
+
+plaintext = ciphertext ⊕ keystream
+
+This works because XOR is its own inverse.
+
+* * * * *
+
+⚠️ Weaknesses
+-------------
+
+RC4 is no longer considered secure due to several well-known issues:
+
+-   **Biased keystream output**\
+    Early bytes of the keystream are statistically biased, leaking information about the key.
+-   **Weak key scheduling (KSA)**\
+    Certain key patterns lead to predictable states, enabling attacks such as the Fluhrer--Mantin--Shamir attack.
+-   **Key reuse / related-key vulnerabilities**\
+    Reusing keys or combining keys improperly can expose secret information.
+-   **No built-in authentication**\
+    RC4 is vulnerable to bit-flipping attacks if not combined with a message authentication mechanism.
+-   **Deprecated in modern protocols**\
+    Due to these weaknesses, RC4 has been removed or prohibited in modern standards (e.g., TLS).
+
+* * * * *
+
+📊 Example Outputs
+------------------
+
+The following examples are adapted from RC4 Wikipedia article.\
+The **first row has been verified against this implementation**.
+
+| Key | Keystream | Plaintext | Ciphertext |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| Key | EB9F7781B734CA72A719... | Plaintext | BBF316E8D940AF0AD3 |
+| Wiki | 6044DB6D41B7... | pedia | 1021BF0420 |
+| Secret | 04D46B053CA87B59... | Attack at dawn | 45A01F645FC35B383552544B9BF5 |
+
+* * * * *
+
+📚 References
+-------------
+
+-   [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RC4)

From 44b98f3035cb47b8040669e516d9b5809080b02a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Manuel Bosisio <128630998+choppadebug@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 17:22:05 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Added js code for RC4 algorithm visualization

---
 Uncategorized/RC4/code.js | 153 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 153 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 Uncategorized/RC4/code.js

diff --git a/Uncategorized/RC4/code.js b/Uncategorized/RC4/code.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a37353a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Uncategorized/RC4/code.js
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+// Run on https://algorithm-visualizer.org/
+
+// import visualization libraries {
+const { Tracer, Array1DTracer, ChartTracer, LogTracer, Randomize, Layout, VerticalLayout } = require('algorithm-visualizer');
+// }
+
+// Define tracer variables {
+const chart = new ChartTracer();
+const chart_T = new ChartTracer();
+const tracer = new Array1DTracer();
+const tracer_T = new Array1DTracer();
+const logger = new LogTracer();
+const stream_logger = new LogTracer();
+Layout.setRoot(new VerticalLayout([chart, tracer_T, stream_logger]));
+// Layout.setRoot(new VerticalLayout([chart, tracer_T, logger, stream_logger])); // *uncomment this line to see indexes actual values at runtime*
+// }
+
+// Define working variables
+let N = 256;                    // <--- set here desired S size (default 256)
+const S = Array(N);
+const T = Array(N);
+const secret = [];    
+const key = "Key";              // <-- set here secret key (any keysize <=N)
+for(let i=0; i<key.length; i++) {
+    secret[i] = key.charCodeAt(i);  // ASCII conversion
+}
+const STREAMSIZE = 15;          // <-- set here the keystream size (numbers to be generated)
+const plaintext = ""   
+// + "Plaintext"                // <-- *[OPTIONAL]: uncomment to encrypt (XOR) with generated keystream* 
+var j = 0;
+var i = 0;
+let k = []; 
+
+
+
+
+// STEP 1: INITIALIZE
+// Array S gets initialized with 0...N values
+for (let z=0; z<N; z++) {
+    S[z] = z;
+}
+
+// Secret key is copied over to match N size
+for(let z=0, pwd_ix=0; z<N; z++, pwd_ix++) {
+    pwd_ix = pwd_ix % secret.length;
+    T[z] = secret[pwd_ix];
+}
+// logger {
+logger.println(`original array = [${S.join(', ')}]`);
+logger.println("j = " + j);
+logger.println("i = " + i);
+// }
+
+// tracer {
+tracer.set(S);
+tracer.chart(chart);
+tracer_T.set(T);
+tracer_T.chart(chart_T);
+Tracer.delay();
+// }
+
+
+
+// STEP 2: Initial permutation of S
+for(let i=0; i < N; i++) {
+    logger.println("(" + (j + S[i] + T[i]) + ")")
+    j = (j + S[i] + T[i]) % N;
+    // logger {
+    logger.println("j = " + j);
+    logger.println("i = " + i);
+    // }
+    // visualize {
+    tracer.select(i);
+    tracer.select(j);
+    
+    tracer_T.select(i);
+    Tracer.delay();
+    tracer_T.deselect(i);
+    // }
+    // SWAP
+    swap(i, j, S);
+}
+
+// STEP 3: Stream Generation
+i=0; j=0;
+for(let ix=0; ix<STREAMSIZE; ix++) {
+    i = (i+1) % N;
+    j = (j + S[i]) % N;
+    // visualize {
+    tracer.select(i);
+    tracer.select(j);
+    Tracer.delay();
+    //}
+    
+    // SWAP
+    swap(i, j, S);
+    
+    const t = (S[i] + S[j]) % N;
+    // visualize {
+    tracer.select(t);
+    Tracer.delay();
+    //}
+    
+    k.push(S[t]);
+    // logger {
+    logger.println("t = " + t);
+    stream_logger.println("Generated stream: " + k);
+    // }
+    // deselect visualize {
+    tracer.deselect(t);
+    // }
+}
+
+// [OPTIONAL] STEP 4: Encryption
+if(plaintext !== "") {
+    let converted_plaintext = 0;
+    let ciphertext = "";
+    let ciphertext_num = [];
+
+    logger.println(plaintext.length);
+    for(let i=0; i<plaintext.length && i<k.length; i++) {
+        converted_plaintext = plaintext.charCodeAt(i);      
+        
+        ciphertext_num.push(converted_plaintext ^ k[i]);    // XOR
+        ciphertext = ciphertext.concat(String.fromCharCode(ciphertext_num[i]));
+    }
+
+    stream_logger.println("Encrypted text: " + ciphertext);
+    stream_logger.println("Encrypted text (numeric values): " + ciphertext_num);
+}
+
+
+// Utility functions {
+function swap(elem1, elem2, array) {
+    let temp = array[elem1];
+    array[elem1] = array[elem2];
+    array[elem2] = temp;
+    
+    // visualize {
+    tracer.patch(elem1, array[elem1]);
+    tracer.patch(elem2, array[elem2]);
+    Tracer.delay();
+    tracer.depatch(elem1);
+    tracer.depatch(elem2);
+    // }
+    // deselect visualize {
+    tracer.deselect(elem1);
+    tracer.deselect(elem2);
+    //}
+    
+    return;
+}
+// }
\ No newline at end of file