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Cryptanalytic machines
- this page is a stub
The use of special purpose devices (machines) for analysis of encrypted
messages and aiding in solving such messages, date back to shortly before
the start of World War II (WWII).
Before that time, ciphers were usually
broken by hand, but the vast increase of machine-encrypted traffic – in
particular by the German Army – prompted the development of automated
codebreaking aids.
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Allied cryptanalysis during WWII
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WWII cryptanalytic machines
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Cryptanalytic machines used by NSA
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Below is a non-exhaustive list of cryptanalytic machines and peripheral
equipment, used by the US National Security Agency (NSA) and its predecessors,
during WWII and during the Cold War, as listed in [1], [2], [3] and [4].
Click on any of items printed in blue for further information. The names shown
in italics are suggested by us, and are not the official names used by the
NSA.
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| Name | Ref | Description | Year |
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| ABML | XFF | Parallel relay computer | 1949 |
| ABNER | AFSAF-32, AFSAF-D53 | Electronic digital computer | 1952 |
| ADD | AFSAF 45 | Arabic Deciphering Device | |
| ALCATRAZ | AFSAF-92, CXLQ | Diagraph frequency counter | 1950 |
| ASAY-7 ANALOG | - | Analog of ASAY-7 ciphony device | 1948 |
| AMBER | AFSAF D100, CXMP | Photoelectric comparator | |
| ASP | ? | Japanese call sign deciphering | |
| ATLAS I | AFSAF-70, CXMX | Parallel electronic computer | 1950 |
| ATLAS II | AFSAF-70A, AFSAF-70B | Parallel electronic computer | 1953 |
| AUTOSCRITCHER | GRAPEVINE | Enigma crib tester | |
| ? | ? | B-211 Stecker Finder | |
| BABY OPHIS | AFSAF-D57A | Wired Wheel Analog | 1953 |
| BAKER | AFSAF-D89 | Low-speed parallel relay computer | 1953 |
| BRUTE FORCE DEVICE | AXHB/1 | Exhaustive coincidence finder | 1942 |
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BOMBE (US)
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?
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Machine to solve Enigma
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1943
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| CAMEL | ? | Locating cryptographic instructions in Japanese messages | |
| Chinese Typewriter | ? | Ideographic typewriter
Card-operated character typewriter | |
| CONNIE I | AFSAF-1 | Polygraphic coincidence counter | |
| CONNIE II | AFSAF-D/1A | Polygraphic coincidence counter | |
| COPPERHEAD | AFSAF-94, CXMN, CXPC | Photoelectric comparator | |
| COUNTESS | AFSAF D/13 | Round robin coincidence searcher | |
| DELLA | AFSAF D/51-1, -2 | Round robin comparator | |
| DUTCHESS | AFSAF-D68 | Group repeat tester | |
| EXPANDED COMPARATOR | AFSAF-27 | Photoelectric comparator | |
| FREAK I | AFSAF-24 | Multiple frequency counter | |
| FROG | AFSAF-33 | B-221 Cribdragger | 1950 |
| GEEWHIZZER I - IV | AFSAF-112 | ELECTROMECHANAGRAMMER, Weighting device | 1941 |
| GREEN ANALOG | ? | Analog of Japanese Green machine | 1946 |
| HMS | AFSAF-38 | Hagelin Message Setter | 1949 |
| HPSG | AFSAF-46 | Hagelin Parity Stream Generator | 1950 |
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HECATE
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AFSAF-91, CXDD
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Hagelin C-38 cribdragger
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1948
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| HELCAT I, MATTHEW, ELKET, JR | AFSAF-D/59, DEF 59 | Electronic Key Tester | 1953 |
| HSTTR | AFSAF-D/63 | High-speed teletype reader
Chadless tape reader | 1953 |
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ICKY I | CXCL | 35mm photoelectric comparator | 1943 |
| ISA | AFSAF-1-X, CONNIE-1-X | Isomorphic Depth Analysis | 1951 |
| INITRAM | - | Backwards stepping MARTINI | 1948 |
| JMA | - | Relay-operated deciphering device (replacement for MATTHEW) | 1942 |
| J-SQUARE UNITS | - | Code decipherment and recognition | 1947 |
| LDM | - | Longitudinal differencing machine | 1944 |
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Letterwriter
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AFSAF-96, CXCO
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Perforated Tape Equipment
Input/output device (terminal)
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1939
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| Limited Selector | - | Code recognition and deciphering device | 1943 |
| MAISIE | AFSAF-D74 | Magnetic card file look-up device | |
| MAMBA | CXLT | Message setting device | 1944 |
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MARTINI | - | Relay analog of Russian LONGFELLOW | 1948 |
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MATTHEW | |
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| McSNOYD | AFSAF-D75 | Electronic cross products sum counter | 1950 |
| MERCURY | - | Relay-operated group-scoring device, Navy version of Army SLIDE-RUN | 1945 |
| MIKE | NCR Diagraph Counter
CXMM | Monograph and diagraph counter | 1944 |
| MISTRESS | AFSAF-D73A | Special purpose repeat search device | |
| M-8 | AFSAF-108, XBL | Modified ECM (SIGABA) | 1943 |
| NCRDC | AFSAF-118 | NCR Differencing Calculator
Additive Calculator | 1942 |
| PINK ANALOG | - | Analog of PINK cipher machine | 1946 |
| PLUTO | AFSAF-30, Cycle Analyser | Special purpose generator | 1951 |
| Prepunch Verifier | AFSAF-D67 | Tape verifier | 1952 |
| PURPLE ALALOG | - | Analog of Japanese 'B' | 1941 |
| PURPLE DUDBUSTER | - | Electrical cribtester for PURPLE | 1945 |
| ROBIN I | AFSAF-D/54, CXOR | Photoelectric comparator | 1950 |
| ROBIN II | AFSAF-D/54-1 | Photoelectric comparator | 1951 |
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SATYR
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AFSAF-102, CXDA
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Electrical Hagelin C-38 analog
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1944
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| SETTING GENERATOR | AFSAF-35, CMSG | Relay-operated testing device | |
| SLIDE-RUN | AFSAF-29, AXAB/1 | Deciphering and message setting device, Code recognition unit | 1944 |
| SUPERSCRITCHER | AFSAF-18 | Electronic cribtester | 1951 |
| TESSIE | ➤ ICKY I | Army name for ICKY I | |
| TUNNY DRAGON | - | Geheimschreiber cribtester | 1944 |
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WARLOCK I
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AFSAFG-D79, CXNK
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Electronic message setter for Hagelin
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1951
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WARLOCK II
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AFSAFG-D80, CXPB
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Universal electronic message setter
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1951
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| WWH | - | Testing device for rotor machines
Wired Wheel Handtester | 1946 |
| 5202 Comparator MkII | AFSAF-41 | High-speed IC comparator | 1952 |
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German cryptanalysis during WWII
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German cryptanalytic agencies
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OKW/Chi Supreme Command Armed Forces, Signal Intelligence Agency OKH/G d NA Army High Command, Signal Intelligence Agency, Cryptanalysis OKL/LN Abt 350 Air Force High Command, Signal Intelligence Agency, Section B OKM/4 SKL/II Navy High Command, Signal Security Agency OKM/4 SKL/III Navy High Command, Signal Intelligence Agency Pers Z S Foreign Office, Cryptanalytic Section OKH/In 7/VI Inspectorate 7/VI (predecessor of OKH/G d NA)
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Cryptanalytic machines used by Germany
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| Name | Description | Year |
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| Bigramsuchgerät | Diagraphic weight recorder | 1943 |
| Sägebock | Polygraphic coindidence counter | 1942 |
| Turmuhr | Statistical depth increaser | 1943 |
| ? | Simple counting appratus | 1943 |
| ? | Non-recording differencing calculator | 1943 |
| ? | Recording differencing calculator | 1943 |
| Witzkiste | Likely additive selector | 1943 |
| ? | Repeat finder (under development) | 1945 |
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- US Navy Captain E.S.L. Goodwin, Utilisation of Analytical Machinery
NSA, 13 June 1952. TOP SECRET SUEDE. 1
- LeRoy H. Wheatley, Cryptanalytic Machines in NSA
NSA, 30 May 1953. TOP SECRET CANOE. 1
➤ Includes second installment (PDF page 137)
- LeRoy H. Wheatley, Brief Description of Analytic Machine, Forth Installment
NSA, 20 September 1954. TOP SECRET FROTH. 1
- Colin B. Burke, It Wasn't All Magic: The early Struggle to Automate Cryptanalysis
1930s - 1960s. NSA, Center for Cryptologic History, 2002. 1,2
- European Axis Signal Intelligence in WWII - Volume 2
Notes on German high level cryptography and Cryptanalysis.
Army Security Agency (NSA), 1 May 1946. TOP SECRET CREAM. 1
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Partly declassified by NSA persuant to Executive Order 13526
(24 January 2014 — 16 June 2014).
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This document contains many scanning errors and distorted images.
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Friday 12 March 2021. Last changed: Saturday, 06 December 2025 - 11:27 CET.
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