CIA Code Fun!!

https://www.cia.gov/kids-page/games/break-the-code/index.html


This website is a great tool for learning and understanding codes. There are a few codes to choose from, and you have to crack the cipher! These games are appropriate for all ages and are interesting and fun. Try it!!

Bitcoin Technology

After reading the article about the new electronic currency called "bitcoin" I was intrigued and slightly frightened by this concept. Money that is transferred strictly by code without having to identify the origin of the currency sounds a little sketchy. This makes it very easy for criminals to illegally transfer money without being identified. The article even said there was a website where people could buy and sell illegal drugs only by using bitcoin. Overall, bitcoin is a cool concept, but it could lead to a lot of problems, probably many more than it would fix.

The National Cryptologic Museum!

The National Cryptologic Museum is the National Security Agency's principal gateway to the public. It shares the Nation's, as well as NSA's, cryptologic legacy and place in world history. Located adjacent to NSA Headquarters, Ft. George G. Meade, Maryland, the Museum houses a collection of thousands of artifacts that collectively serve to sustain the history of the cryptologic profession. Here visitors can catch a glimpse of some of the most dramatic moments in the history of American cryptology: the people who devoted their lives to cryptology and national defense, the machines and devices they developed, the techniques they used, and the places where they worked. For the visitor, some events in American and world history will take on a new meaning. For the cryptologic professional, it is an opportunity to absorb the heritage of the profession.


Did someone say field trip?!


http://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic_heritage/museum/

The Jefferson Wheel

This is a Jefferson Wheel, the topic of my final project poster. The give a brief preview of what my project is about, Jefferson created the disk without public knowledge. In the near future, others would create and patent similar wheels used for encryption, and Jefferson was never properly credited with the invention of this machine. Stay tuned to find out how the wheel actually works!!

Prison Break Puzzles

Recently, I was again watching an episode of Prison Break and couldn't help but think about the cryptology aspect of the happenings in the show. In this particular episode, a team is assigned to collect data on 6 cards hidden in different locations. One of the team members has a device that decrypts information on anything electronic within a certain distance, so the team merely has to be within a certain range of the cards to get the data off of it. They follow a card-holder into a casino in LasVegas and the device picks up the information on all of the machines in the room, so he knows exactly which machine is about to win.

Although this show is fiction (and sometimes referred to as Prison Fake), this episode made me wonder if such a device truly does exist, and if it does how threatening that would be to our personal privacy and security. The device was convenient for the team in the show, but it would be quite an inconvenience for ordinary people walking the streets with a phone or laptop!

Messing with Motors and Medicine?

After reading the articles posted on Moodle this week, some I realized some scary truths about what our world is coming too. I never even imagined having to worry about someone tampering with the system in my car to adjust the engine, brakes, or steering while I'm driving. This is a dangerous possibility, as we have no way of knowing when this could occur and we have no way of stopping it. Thankfully, according to the article, encryption devices are being created to stop hackers from controlling cars.


Another scary possibility that was brought to my attention is the fact that false commands can be sent to medical machines to hurt and potentially kill the patient using the machine. Though there is no record of this being attempted, it is a possibility that needs to be addressed and prevented. It is horrible to think about what hackers could do to innocent people in need. It's good we are taking precautions now, so these tragic events will never happen.

Pearl Harbor Pandemonium

In many books and articles, it has been speculated that messages containing information about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had been decoded but not shared with the naval officers. If this were the case, many American lives could have been saved had the information been properly delivered. However, it is thought that the president wanted to enter the war and assumed this was the only way the American people would accept that, so he withheld the information from the public. Cryptology played a major role in finding out about the attacks, but according to written history, the code was so difficult it took a long time to crack and by the time they figured out the intercepted message, the attack had already taken place. If the code had been broken sooner, or if the information wasn't withheld, there could've been a very different outcome. What do you think really happened?