In today's information society, cryptography has become one of the main tools for privacy, trust, access control, electronic payments, corporate security, and countless other fields. The use of cryptography is no longer a privilege reserved for governments and highly skilled specialists, but is becoming available for everyone.
Cryptologic Toys Exhibit
The Richard Brisson Collection
For over seven decades, heroes of radio, television and movies have captured children’s imaginations. During the 1930s through the mid 1950s, children would join their hero’s fan clubs and receive “secret” manuals and code devices used to interact with the hero while the show was on air. Today children can still purchase “secret” code devices mass marketed whenever a new action hero movie is released. These “secret toys” have become a fascinating part of Americana and are highly prized collectables.
For further information on the exhibit: [link]
EnigmaSim v4.0 program
http://users.telenet.be/d.rijmenants/en/enigmasim.htm
Click to link download the freeware Award Winning EnigmaSim v4.0 program. The program is an exact simulation of the 3-rotor Wehrmacht and the famous 4-rotor Kriegmarine M4 model of the German Enigma cipher machine, used during World War II from 1939 until 1945. You can select between the two models, actually choose different rotors or 'Walzen', preset the rotor wiring positions or 'Ringstellung' and switch letters by using plugs or 'Stecker'.
Screenshot of the enigma from the program:
Cipher Classics v2.0 Tool
http://users.telenet.be/d.rijmenants/en/cipherclassics.htm
Click link to download the freeware Cipher Classics v2.0 Tool. With the Cipher Classics tool you can encipher and decipher messages with a list of classic ciphers, also called field ciphers, as they were used by many soldiers and secret agents in history.
List of available ciphers:
ADFGVX Cipher
Caesar Shift (rotation cipher)
Columnar Transposition
Double Columnar Transposition
Playfair
Straddling Checkerboard
Straddling Checkerboard with Double Columnar Vigenere
Screenshot taken from the program:
Build Your Very Own Enigma
http://www.xat.nl/enigma-e/desc/index.htm
Enigma-E is a DIY Building Kit that enables you to build your own electronic variant of the famous Enigma coding machine that was used by the German army during WWII. It works just like a real Enigma and is compatible with an M3 and M4 Enigma as well as the standard Service Machines. A message encrypted on, say, a real Enigma M4 can be read on the Enigma-E and vice versa.
Crack the code yourself:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/decoding/faceoff.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/decoding/virtwave.html
Virtual enigma:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/decoding/virtwave.html
Think like a codebreaker:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/decoding/mind.html
Movies
Hollywood has capitalized on the role the enigma cipher machine played in WWII, and made several movies that incorporated some Hollywood flaire to the story as well:
Link to movie summary:
[link]
Official Site:
[link]
Link to movie summary:
[link]
Enigma Cipher Machine Homepage: Jamie Brownell
References
