Diffusion and confusion - shannon Diffusion. The relationship between the statistics of the plaintext and the ciphertext is as complex as possible: the value of each plaintext bit affects many ciphertext bits Confusion: the relationship between the statistics of the plaintext and the value of the key is as complex as possible7 Diffusion and Confusion -- Shannon • Diffusion. The relationship between the statistics of the plaintext and the ciphertext is as complex as possible: the value of each plaintext bit affects many ciphertext bits. • Confusion: the relationship between the statistics of the plaintext and the value of the key is as complex as possible