[GreenKeys] somewhat OT: the last rotor crypto machine

[Steve Garrison]

I trained and worked on KL7’s while in the USAF from 1966 to 1970.  I’m assuming those interested in the KL7 have found the excellent software recreation of these machine.  It even “sounds” like a real KL7!

 

Even though the KL7’s were really compromised with the capture of the USS Pueblo, for the 18 months I was on Okinawa from 1968 to 1970, one was used daily in a Air Force Security Service comm center.  It was used to encrypt reports of data collected by SR-71 flyovers.  Then the KL7 output was fed by TTY to KW26 crypto gear for transmission to the next comm center up the chain to the top dogs.  So it was double encrypted before hitting the airways.

 

By the same token if a message that came in via KW26 that was in 5 letter groups, it then had to be hand entered into a KL7 in decrypt mode to produce a plaintext strip of printed tape.

 

Steve G./N4TTY

 

From: greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net <greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Keith Lueck
Sent: Friday, September 3, 2021 5:39 PM
To: GREENKEYS BULLETIN BOARD <greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [GreenKeys] somewhat OT: the last rotor crypto machine

 

I know there's at least some interest in cryptography on the list.  This story also happens to be about restoring an early-60's electromechanical machine - something most of us are quite familiar with... ;-)

 

The Scandalous History of the Last Rotor Cipher Machine <https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-scandalous-history-of-the-last-rotor-cipher-machine#toggle-gdpr> 

 



 






	

The Scandalous History of the Last Rotor Cipher Machine


How this gadget figured in the shady Rubicon spy case

 

 

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