Elements of the Enigma Machine A simplified circuit diagram of an Enigma machine (Figure 1) with 4 of the 26 keys and indicator lamps shows the principle of how the various elements are connected to each other. If no key is pressed, there is no closed circuit, electricity cannot flow, and the lamps remain dark. […]
ENIGMA Chapter 1 – Historical Background ENIGMA Chapter 2 – The Invention of the Enigma Machine The Enigma machine is a polyalphabetic substitution cipher machine. This post will provide a little background information on the differences between monoalphabetic and polyalphabetic substitution ciphers and on the specific characteristics of cipher alphabets created by an Enigma machine. […]
Chapter 1 – Historical Background Chapter 3 – The Substitution Cipher Introduction The breaking of the Enigma coding system was not a one-time event. The Polish Cipher Bureau (which first decoded Enigma messages in late 1932/early 1933), Bletchley Park in England, and codebreakers in other countries had to deal with different versions of the Enigma […]
Benedict’s hotly anticipated film, The Imitation Game, centers on the life and achievements of British mathematician and war hero, Alan Turing. For those unfamiliar with Turing, he played a major role in helping to decode German intelligence during the Second World War. Building upon the pre-war work of Polish codebreakers, Turing devised techniques to break […]
CRYPTOLOGY IN WORLD WAR I Radio communication The invention of radio in the late 19th century had far-reaching consequences for military communication and cryptography. It enabled the exchange of messages with hitherto isolated locations (like ships at sea) and could be used to direct military campaigns. But it also made the need for secure encryption […]
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