Help Break Original Enigma Messages 272
Stereo writes "The Enigma Machine was cracked in Poland in 1932, but three messages remain unbroken, despite having been intercepted in the North Atlantic in 1942. The M4 Project, named after the four rotor Enigma M4 used for encryption, is a distributed computing effort to break them. One message has already been deciphered successfully!"
Re:power of proper encryption (Score:4, Funny)
and the message is . . . (Score:3, Funny)
Re:and the message is . . . (Score:3, Funny)
Do I have to? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Wasn't the enigma cracked? (Score:3, Funny)
Jaysyn
I cracked one of them (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Excuse me... (Score:3, Funny)
You'd think they could just ask the Germans for the cleartext.
I have cracked the other two (Score:5, Funny)
Historical information ! (Score:4, Funny)
Second Message Now Cracked (Score:4, Funny)
It warned other units that a local garage mechanic had offered to 'improve' their Enigma machine to make it run faster, but after he left they discovered he'd inserted a small additional module which meant that whatever was transmitted, there was an extra last line which read "Come to Fritz's autos for a great deal on used Volkswagens". The cracked message told all other users only to visit trusted garages and not accept any offers of performance upgrades because such offers were the work of 'trojan enemy conspirators that operated like an unwanted virus in the body of our glorious Fatherland'.
There were also complaints of many false messages being received that decoded into offers to supply the German solders with 'processed meat rations' captured from allied troops - the cracked message warned Enigma users to ignore the flood of 'unwanted messages about spam that deflect focus from our vital war efforts' and not to reply as this only confirmed that the messages were being received, which guaranteed even more 'spam messages'.
The final bit of the decoded message related to trials with a new rotor wiring system produced by a local engineer. Apparently, the system promised to make the Enigma machines easier to use, but the coloured insulation on the wiring was rubbing away, (presumably an interaction between the synthetic dyes being used with early, less stable plastics), exposing the conductors and causing the whole machine to short circuit and stop working ('die' as the message coldly put it). The cracked message warned other users to check their rotors to see whether they had any of the 'brightly coloured experimental wiring' and if so, to stop using them and return the rotors to 'Wilhelm Gatz' if they identified the so-called 'blue screening of death'.
Re:Java Enigma Simulator (Score:5, Funny)
Sorry
Another Message Decoded and Translated (Score:5, Funny)
RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN EXTREME CONFIDENCE
I am certain this message comes as a suprise to you since you do not know me. I have obtained your name from French Resistance fighters as one that can be trusted with my confidence.
Two months ago, my father was kidnapped and murdered by the Nazi SS. I have need to transfer the sum of US$25,000,000 (twenty-five million) from an account in Credit Lyonnais in France to an account outside of German territory, of which your payment shall be 30% if you agree to our proposal...
Re:Well (Score:3, Funny)
Well, makes sense to me. Which activity is more interesting?
Re:Wasn't the enigma cracked? (Score:1, Funny)