In the period
1939-45 most countries enciphered their communications using hand methods
(codebooks, transposition etc). Only a few countries used cipher machines.
The following
list covers these countries and the specific models they used.
United
States
SIGTOT T/P
(one time tape system)
CCM -
Combined Cipher Machine
M-209 (US
version of the Hagelin C-38)
Hebern cipher machine
(5 rotor version)
SIGFOY/M-325 (Enigma type)
Britain
Typex (Enigma
type)
Rockex T/P
(one time tape system)
CCM -
Combined Cipher Machine
Poland
Soviet
Union
K-37 (Hagelin
B-211 copy)
Pogoda or
Pagoda (copy of US AT&T double tape machine)
M-100/101 T/P
France
Hagelin B-211
modified
Hagelin C-38
(US M-209 version)
Sweden
Hagelin B-211
Hagelin C-38
Norway
Hagelin C-38
Holland
Hagelin C-38
Enigma G
Portugal
Hagelin C-38
Switzerland
Enigma K
Germany
Enigma I
(plugboard machine)
Enigma M4 (4
rotor naval version)
SG (Schlüsselgerät) 41
(Hagelin type)
SZ-40/42
T/P
T-52 T/P
T-43 T/P
(one time tape system)
Italy
Enigma K
Enigma G
Enigma I
Hagelin C-38
Olivetti T/P
Japan
Finland
Hagelin C-36
Romania
Enigma G
Enigma I
Hungary
Enigma I
Slovakia
Enigma I
Bulgaria
Enigma I
Croatia
Enigma K
Spain
Enigma K
What were the relative advantages and disadvantages of each of these machines? Was a rolling substitution cypher inherently poorer than a one time tape?
ReplyDeleteAlso, what would the germans have done if they found out that enigma had been compromised? Was there some procedure they would follow?
‘What were the relative advantages and disadvantages of each of these machines?’
DeleteWell a detailed analysis of each cipher machine is something that an expert should do. I think that for the off line cipher machines SIGABA> 4 rotor plugboard Enigma > 3 rotor plugboard Enigma and Typex. Hagelin C-38 had the flaw that it could be solved through depths. Hagelin C-36 and B-211 were weak for the WWII period.
The Japanese Red and Purple had a cryptologic weakness due to their design (20-6 letter split).
I don’t know how to rate the teleprinters.
‘Was a rolling substitution cypher inherently poorer than a one time tape?’
One time tape systems were supposed to be unbreakable.
‘Also, what would the Germans have done if they found out that enigma had been compromised? Was there some procedure they would follow?’
There were procedures for the creation of emergency enigma keys. Check ‘History of Hut 6’, p141
https://www.scribd.com/document/86865889/HW-43-70-Vol1