cryptanalysis

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

cryptanalysis
    n 1: the science of analyzing and deciphering codes and ciphers
         and cryptograms [syn: {cryptanalysis}, {cryptanalytics},
         {cryptography}, {cryptology}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

cryptanalysis \crypt"a*nal"y*sis\, n.
   1. the science which studies methods to discovering the
      secret meaning of encrypted messages for which one does
      not possess the secret decoding information (called the
      {key}).
      [PJC]

   2. the methods and procedures used to discover the secret
      meaning hidden in encrypted messages.
      [PJC] Cryptic

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

cryptanalysis

   The branch of {cryptography} concerned with decoding encrypted
   messages when you're not supposed to be able to.

   (1994-12-06)

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