Final answer:
A known-plaintext attack is not more powerful than a ciphertext-only attack. Strong encryption algorithms are designed to withstand both types of attacks.
Step-by-step explanation:
A known-plaintext attack is a type of cryptographic attack where an attacker has access to both the plaintext (the original message) and its corresponding ciphertext (the encrypted form of the message). In this type of attack, the attacker uses the pair of plaintext-ciphertext to try to reverse-engineer the encryption algorithm or determine the encryption key. On the other hand, a ciphertext-only attack is when an attacker only has access to the encrypted messages without any knowledge of the corresponding plaintext.
Contrary to the statement in the question, a known-plaintext attack is not more powerful than a ciphertext-only attack. In fact, a ciphertext-only attack is considered more challenging because it requires the attacker to analyze and exploit patterns within the encrypted messages without any additional information.
It's important to note that the strength of an encryption algorithm lies in its resistance to known-plaintext attacks and ciphertext-only attacks. Strong encryption algorithms are designed to withstand both types of attacks, making it difficult for attackers to uncover the original message or key.