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U.S. Army Guide to Code Breaking

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the terces-egassem-seog-ereh dept.

sebFlyte writes "From the introduction of this document, the U.S. Army's field manual guide to Cryptanalysis: 'This manual presents the basic principles and techniques of cryptanalysts and their relation to cryptography. Cryptanalytics is the art and science of solving unknown codes and ciphers.'"

6 of 249 comments (clear)

  1. If your interested in this.... by 0racle · · Score: 4, Informative

    You should take a look at tracking down The Codebreakers which is a fasinating read.

    --
    "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
  2. Distribution Restriction by Laerien · · Score: 3, Informative

    This field manual (no. 34.40.2) seems to have a Distribution Restriction placed on it as of March 5, 1990. The index page of the manual features a prominent warning about its restricted nature and a banner at the bottom of the page reads, "For Official Use Only".

    Is this document classified or are these just standard warnings with no teeth? Is our dissemination of this 15-yr-old document criminal?

    1. Re:Distribution Restriction by The+Wookie · · Score: 4, Informative

      You can find the letter authorizing public release/unlimited distribution of this manual here.

  3. Re:Utility? by CodeMonkey4Hire · · Score: 5, Informative
    You're right. This isn't new. From the top of TFA:
    FIELD MANUAL
    NO 34-40-2 HEADQUARTERS
    DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
    Washington, DC, 13 September 1990

    The original for this came from <a href=http://www.atsc-army.org/cgi-win/$atdl.exe/fm /34-40-2/default.htm>here</a> on Tue Dec 17 01:21:11 EST 1996.
    This thing is 14 years old and has been public for over 8 years (at least) and somebody thinks that it is worth putting on slashdot. Thanks.
    (P.S. - note that the link they used for "here" doesn't even work. /.ed maybe?)
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    Let's go Hurricanes!!! 2006 Stanley Cup Champions!!!
  4. Re:Light reading by ackthpt · · Score: 4, Informative
    A sneak peek at chapter 7: Solution of polygraphic substitution systems polyalphabetic substitution systems and that's just the title. Pack a lunch for this one...

    A good read along with this would probably be Between Silk And Cyanide: A Codemakers War, which gets into, among other things, creation of more secure codes during WW II. An excellent read (I currenly have The White Rabbit on order (story of Yeo-Thomas' activities in France, capture, interrogation and imprisonment))

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    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  5. Re:Page 2 reads... by nyekulturniy · · Score: 3, Informative

    I agree. An astute observation came from a member the OPFOR, the "Red Army" used at the Fort Irwin, California National Training Center, in briefing materials. Too many commanders used improvised codes instead relying on the tactical codebook or the CEOI; they were very easy to break.

    If it's too hard to use, no one uses a system.

    --
    Nyekulturniy... Proudly confusing readers and editors since 1981!