Abstract: The integrated data enciphering and channel encoding system consists of a message expansion function F, a convolutional encoder G.sub.e of code rate r.sub.e greater than the computational cutoff rate R.sub.comp, and an artificial noise generator emitting a noise sequence n. The expansion function F is the key to this integrated cryptosystem and can be any linear time varying or time invariant function, with or without memory. It can also be a block code or a convolutional code itself provided that the resultant concatenated convolutional code is non-catastrophic. The concatenation of the expansion function F with G.sub.e is equivalent to a new convolutional encoder G.sub.d .ident.FG.sub.e of code rate r.sub.d less than the computational cutoff rate R.sub.comp of the equivalent channel, but without knowledge of the expansion function F or the artificial noise n, the transmitted information rate appears to exceed R.sub.comp.