[Cryptography] highlights of crypto history

[ianG]

On 13/11/2016 23:25, Jon Callas wrote:
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> These are all military and diplomatic, which is only a facet of the whole thing, as well as all being 20th century.

Point.  I recall the Mary Queen of Scots ciphers which were decrypted 
and heads rolled as a result, literally.  [0]


>>  Zimmermann Telegram : 11 January 1917 -- encrypted, but not quite well enough.
>>   From a US/UK point of view, this one is hard to beat.

Hard for the Germans not to appreciate the impact as well ;)  It's 
nicely international.

> It's certainly hard to beat on other scales, as well, because it was subterfuge getting it to the US, and Zimmermann didn't deny it at all.

The consequences were quite dramatic.  It also has the advantage of 
being quite recent, with understandable consequences, whereas the 
historical ones might be less

For the rest - they are mostly non-crypto.


Does anyone have any contact with IACR?  11 January 1917 offers an 
enticing date coming up...  It might also be something the other side 
can get behind.

iang


[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babington_Plot