I have been researching cryptography and this question just came to mind, if someone intercepts a cyphertext and doesn’t know the algorithm used, then for all he knows it could be using the strongest or the weakest algorithms out there
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First, one of the fundamental principles of cryptography is you assume that the attacker knows what algorithm is being used and how that algorithm works. Given that assumption, not all algorithms are as strong.
Second, cryptographic algorithms are standardized and popularized. Few people out there are going to be designing bespoke algorithms for personal use.
Lastly, depending on the scenario, it would be somewhat trivial to determine what algorithm is being used, especially across open channels. For example, secure web traffic involves the client and server negotiating, in public, what algorithm to use and what options to use it with. This is all in plain text so would be easy enough for an attacker to determine.
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