I found another specimen of a cipher with ambiguous reading frames when Googling without purpose. J. Lestocquoy (1966), Correspondance des nonces en France: Dandino, Della Torre et Trivultio (1546-1551) (Google), p.43, presents a reconstruction of a cipher of papal nuncio Montemerlo in his correspondence with the Farneses in 1551. It represents letters with one or two digits: 0(-) 1(L) 2(N) 3(O) 4(A) 5(U/V) 6(I) 7(M) 8(B) 9(H) 17(D) 18(Q) 19(P) 21(T) 27(Z) 28(F) 29(C) 71(G) 72(E) 82(S) 87(R) and provides for some names (the pope, the emperor, the king, V.Exc.=Octave Farnese, ...). The author points out the ambiguity of reading frames with an example 387213=3(O)87(R)21(T)3(O) or 3(O)8(B)72(E)1(L)3(O). This cipher is somewhat similar to "Cifra con mons. Aurelio" and "Cifra con mons. Arnoldo di Maguntia" in Meister (1906), p.183, 184. See also "Variable-Length Symbols in Italian Numerical Ciphers" for similar ciphers.
Lestocquoy (1966) also presents a reconstruction of a cipher used by Dandino in 1546. It is a polyphonic cipher printed in Meister (1906), p.177. See "Polyphonic Substitution in Italian Numerical Ciphers" for examples of Vatican polyphonic ciphers.
20/01/2020
Bloggerで「試行回数が上限を超えた」と言われ自分のブログから締め出された顛末記
（The following is my experience of being locked out of my own blog, and has nothing to do with cryptography.）
先日、突然自分のブログにログインできなくなり、数日間編集ページにアクセスできなかった。検索してもあまり参考になるサイトがなかったので、私の経験を記しておきたい。
gmailのメールアドレスを入力して、端末に記憶されているパスワードでいつも通りログイン……のはずが、端末が認識された端末ではないなどと言われて、電話番号の入力を求められてしまった。ケータイ番号を入力すればCメールで数字が送られてきて、それをパソコンで入力すればOKという「２段階認証」だろうと思い、番号を入力したのだが、一向に送られてこない。おかしいなと思いつつ何度も繰り返していると、次のようなエラーになってしまった。
「ログイン試行の回数が上限を超えました。ユーザー保護のため、現在ログインすることはできません。しばらくしてからもう一度お試しいただくか、別の端末からログインしてください。」
どうしてこんなことになったのか。思い当たることが二つある。
・直前にウインドウズ１０の更新をして再起動したので、端末が変わったと認識されてしまったのだろうか（？）だがこれまでも更新・再起動は何度もしてきたはず。
・他のアカウントのブログを別のタブで開いたまま、ログインしようとしたのがいけなかったのかもしれない。これまでは他のアカウントはログアウトしてからログインしていたのだが、今回たまたまそちらの作業中に別のタブを使ったのがいけなかったのかもしれない。
「しばらくしてから」ということはどれくらい待てばいいのか。数分後にやってもだめだったのは当然としても、１日半空けてやってみてもだめだった。
今になって、ブラウザーのキャッシュをクリアすればよかったかなと思ったが、他のブラウザーで試してもだめだったので、おそらく無駄だったろう。
ネット検索したら２０日たってもだめだったという人がいて、その人はパスワードのリセットで解決したらしいのだが、私はそれもできなかった。うろ覚えだが、連絡できるメールアドレスを入力しろというので入力したら、そちらにコードを送ってきた。また２段階認証というやつだ。それを入力したところ、「連絡できるメールアドレスをご確認いただいてありがとうございました」という感じのメッセージが出ただけで、その先には進めなかった。たぶん、そのメールアドレスをあらかじめ登録しておかなかったのがいけなかったのだろう。（仮に悪者が私のアカウントにログインしようとしている場合、任意のメールアドレスを入力してロックを解除できるなら意味がない。）
ところがそのメールアドレスに「重大なセキュリティ通知」というタイトルで「ログインをブロックしました」というメールが届いていた。gmailにはログインできないものの、gmailで転送設定をしてあったようだ。 そのメールいわく、
「あなたのパスワードを使ってアカウントにログインしようとした人がいます。Google でブロックしましたが、アクティビティをご確認ください。」
ここで「確認」すればロックが解除するのではと淡い期待を抱いたが、「確認」するにはログインが必要で、結局何の解決にもならなかった。
仕方がないので「別の端末」というのを試してみることにした。おそるおそるタブレットでアクセスしてみると、あっさりログインできた。その状態でgmailにアクセスして「重大なセキュリティ通知」で、アクティビティを「確認」してみたが、それでもパソコンのほうのロックは解除されなかった。実は何度もはねられたので、「重大なセキュリティ通知」がたくさんあったらしい。それを一つ一つ全部「確認」したところ、ようやくパソコンからも自分のアカウントにログインできるようになった。
それにしても、携帯にCメールがこなかったのはなぜだろう。迷惑メールを防止するためにパソコンからの送信ははねるように設定しているからそのためだろうか。それにしても、コードが届くこともあるから、そういうわけではないだろう。今回はたしか、Cメールは役に立たず、音声通話で（機械から）携帯にかけてもらい、それでコードを取得できた場面があった。（ネット検索では音声が英語、という情報もあったが、今回は日本語だった。）
というわけで解決はしたのだが、本当の悪者が不正アクセスしようとした場合、せっかくブロックしても、悪者がスマホで再試行したら素通りになる、ということなのだろうか。
これまで「２段階認証」というのはどうもうさんくさいと思っていたのだが、これを機に登録することにした。
先日、突然自分のブログにログインできなくなり、数日間編集ページにアクセスできなかった。検索してもあまり参考になるサイトがなかったので、私の経験を記しておきたい。
gmailのメールアドレスを入力して、端末に記憶されているパスワードでいつも通りログイン……のはずが、端末が認識された端末ではないなどと言われて、電話番号の入力を求められてしまった。ケータイ番号を入力すればCメールで数字が送られてきて、それをパソコンで入力すればOKという「２段階認証」だろうと思い、番号を入力したのだが、一向に送られてこない。おかしいなと思いつつ何度も繰り返していると、次のようなエラーになってしまった。
「ログイン試行の回数が上限を超えました。ユーザー保護のため、現在ログインすることはできません。しばらくしてからもう一度お試しいただくか、別の端末からログインしてください。」
どうしてこんなことになったのか。思い当たることが二つある。
・直前にウインドウズ１０の更新をして再起動したので、端末が変わったと認識されてしまったのだろうか（？）だがこれまでも更新・再起動は何度もしてきたはず。
・他のアカウントのブログを別のタブで開いたまま、ログインしようとしたのがいけなかったのかもしれない。これまでは他のアカウントはログアウトしてからログインしていたのだが、今回たまたまそちらの作業中に別のタブを使ったのがいけなかったのかもしれない。
「しばらくしてから」ということはどれくらい待てばいいのか。数分後にやってもだめだったのは当然としても、１日半空けてやってみてもだめだった。
今になって、ブラウザーのキャッシュをクリアすればよかったかなと思ったが、他のブラウザーで試してもだめだったので、おそらく無駄だったろう。
ネット検索したら２０日たってもだめだったという人がいて、その人はパスワードのリセットで解決したらしいのだが、私はそれもできなかった。うろ覚えだが、連絡できるメールアドレスを入力しろというので入力したら、そちらにコードを送ってきた。また２段階認証というやつだ。それを入力したところ、「連絡できるメールアドレスをご確認いただいてありがとうございました」という感じのメッセージが出ただけで、その先には進めなかった。たぶん、そのメールアドレスをあらかじめ登録しておかなかったのがいけなかったのだろう。（仮に悪者が私のアカウントにログインしようとしている場合、任意のメールアドレスを入力してロックを解除できるなら意味がない。）
ところがそのメールアドレスに「重大なセキュリティ通知」というタイトルで「ログインをブロックしました」というメールが届いていた。gmailにはログインできないものの、gmailで転送設定をしてあったようだ。 そのメールいわく、
「あなたのパスワードを使ってアカウントにログインしようとした人がいます。Google でブロックしましたが、アクティビティをご確認ください。」
ここで「確認」すればロックが解除するのではと淡い期待を抱いたが、「確認」するにはログインが必要で、結局何の解決にもならなかった。
仕方がないので「別の端末」というのを試してみることにした。おそるおそるタブレットでアクセスしてみると、あっさりログインできた。その状態でgmailにアクセスして「重大なセキュリティ通知」で、アクティビティを「確認」してみたが、それでもパソコンのほうのロックは解除されなかった。実は何度もはねられたので、「重大なセキュリティ通知」がたくさんあったらしい。それを一つ一つ全部「確認」したところ、ようやくパソコンからも自分のアカウントにログインできるようになった。
それにしても、携帯にCメールがこなかったのはなぜだろう。迷惑メールを防止するためにパソコンからの送信ははねるように設定しているからそのためだろうか。それにしても、コードが届くこともあるから、そういうわけではないだろう。今回はたしか、Cメールは役に立たず、音声通話で（機械から）携帯にかけてもらい、それでコードを取得できた場面があった。（ネット検索では音声が英語、という情報もあったが、今回は日本語だった。）
というわけで解決はしたのだが、本当の悪者が不正アクセスしようとした場合、せっかくブロックしても、悪者がスマホで再試行したら素通りになる、ということなのだろうか。
これまで「２段階認証」というのはどうもうさんくさいと思っていたのだが、これを機に登録することにした。
15/01/2020
Polyphonic Challenge Part 2
Now I see polyphonic ciphers do not pose a serious problem to codebreaking. Part 2 of my "Polyphonic Challenge" has been released at MTC3 (Part 1 was reported here), and three people already solved it.
Part 1 and Part 2 have different characteristics. While the digits of Part 1 tend to represent two letters of similar frequencies, the digits of Part 2 tend to represent one high-frequency letter and one low-frequency letter. I think Part 2 is easier. Although frequencies of digits are somewhat flattened, considering a reduced alphabet consisting of only high-frequency letters may reveal some portions of the plaintext. (Anyway, I have not done it myself, and I hope someone will demonstrate solution of a ciphertext in a polyphonic substitution cipher.)
Part 1 and Part 2 have different characteristics. While the digits of Part 1 tend to represent two letters of similar frequencies, the digits of Part 2 tend to represent one high-frequency letter and one low-frequency letter. I think Part 2 is easier. Although frequencies of digits are somewhat flattened, considering a reduced alphabet consisting of only high-frequency letters may reveal some portions of the plaintext. (Anyway, I have not done it myself, and I hope someone will demonstrate solution of a ciphertext in a polyphonic substitution cipher.)
08/01/2020
Spanish Codebreaker: Luis Valle de la Cerda
I uploaded a new article "Spanish Codebreaking under Phillip II", focusing on Luis Valle de la Cerda and mentioning three others.
I planned this article some years ago when I saw Marcos (2014), but had difficulty in reading the Spanish text. Now I have come to know sources in English and French, which allowed finishing this article (helped by much improved machine translation since then).
As a byproduct, I added the following entries in "Unsolved Historical Ciphers":
Venetian Letter in Spanish Archives (ca.1589)
Fragments in Novel Cipher Invented by a Milanese (ca.1599)
I planned this article some years ago when I saw Marcos (2014), but had difficulty in reading the Spanish text. Now I have come to know sources in English and French, which allowed finishing this article (helped by much improved machine translation since then).
As a byproduct, I added the following entries in "Unsolved Historical Ciphers":
Venetian Letter in Spanish Archives (ca.1589)
Fragments in Novel Cipher Invented by a Milanese (ca.1599)
02/01/2020
Ciphers Broken (and Not Broken) by François Viète
I uploaded a new article "Ciphers Broken by François Viète".
Apart from an overview of well-known facts about the French codebreaker Viète, papers deciphered by Viète in Cinq Cents de Colbert 33 are catalogued and some specific ciphers solved by Viète are identified. There appear to be three ciphertexts left undecifered (unbroken) by Viete, for which I also included a reference in "Unsolved Historical Ciphers".
Apart from an overview of well-known facts about the French codebreaker Viète, papers deciphered by Viète in Cinq Cents de Colbert 33 are catalogued and some specific ciphers solved by Viète are identified. There appear to be three ciphertexts left undecifered (unbroken) by Viete, for which I also included a reference in "Unsolved Historical Ciphers".
31/12/2019
A Polyphonic Cipher of a Spanish Ambassador?
I collect historical examples (mostly Italian) of polyphonic substitution cipher in "A Polyphonic Substitution Cipher of the Catholic League (1592-1593)". Now, I noticed a specimen in Devos (1950), possibly related to Spanish ambassador de Spes, and added a reference to it.
Related changes have been made in
"Spanish Ciphers during the Reign of Philip II" and
"Polyphonic Substitution in Italian Numerical Ciphers".
Related changes have been made in
"Spanish Ciphers during the Reign of Philip II" and
"Polyphonic Substitution in Italian Numerical Ciphers".
28/11/2019
Ciphers under Henry IV of France
I made a substantial enlargement in:
"French Ciphers during the Reign of Henry IV of France"
With the addition of about thirty reconstructed ciphers, it is like a wholly new article.
As a byproduct, I made some additions to:
"French ciphers during the Reign of Henry III of France"
and other related articles.
I still have some leads to work on, and hope to make further additions in near future.
"French Ciphers during the Reign of Henry IV of France"
With the addition of about thirty reconstructed ciphers, it is like a wholly new article.
As a byproduct, I made some additions to:
"French ciphers during the Reign of Henry III of France"
and other related articles.
I still have some leads to work on, and hope to make further additions in near future.
24/11/2019
Polyphonic Challenge
A polyphonic cipher (see, e.g., here) maps more than one letter of the alphabet to a cipher symbol, which thus cannot be deciphered to a definite plaintext letter. Even an intended recipient would find difficulty in deciphering epistles in such a cipher. I wondered whether codebreaking is possible with such a polyphonic cipher and published a challenge at MTC3.
The challenge was published around 21 November 2019, and many people already succeeded in solving it. Although I had been informed by a private email beforehand that a polyphonic cipher can be solved with hill climbing, it appears to be easier than I thought.
I'm interested to know how these solutions can be achieved.
(By the way, I once lost the plaintext myself. Before publishing the challenge, I tried to decipher the ciphertext with the key. I had to use fragments of the plaintext I could decipher to locate the original text on the web.)
The challenge was published around 21 November 2019, and many people already succeeded in solving it. Although I had been informed by a private email beforehand that a polyphonic cipher can be solved with hill climbing, it appears to be easier than I thought.
I'm interested to know how these solutions can be achieved.
(By the way, I once lost the plaintext myself. Before publishing the challenge, I tried to decipher the ciphertext with the key. I had to use fragments of the plaintext I could decipher to locate the original text on the web.)
23/11/2019
Reading Old Handwriting Like Wavy Lines
In working with historical ciphers, reading old handwriting is often a problem. In order to get used to it, it is best to compare handwriting and its reading in actual examples. Although I'm far from being versed in the art, I dared to create a page in presenting such handwriting specimens annotated with its reading at "Paleography in Examples: Tips for Reading Old Handwriting" in 2017.
Now, I made several additions to this article. In particular, the new specimen under "Yet Another Example" look all just crawling waves except for descenders/ascenders. I hope the examples therein may help students working on historical manuscripts.
Now, I made several additions to this article. In particular, the new specimen under "Yet Another Example" look all just crawling waves except for descenders/ascenders. I hope the examples therein may help students working on historical manuscripts.
15/11/2019
Ciphers of Henry IV's Representative in Germany
I uploaded a new article "Catalogue of Ciphers Related to Jacques Bongars in BnF fr.7125-7132". This series in the French archives includes many letters in cipher as well as original ciphers. (I came to know of this series by BnF's video at YouTube.)
As a by product, I made an addition in "Code, Cipher, Nomenclator -- Notes on Terms in Cryptology" to mention that there is an instance where a list of code words without any substitution alphabet is called "chifre".
As a by product, I made an addition in "Code, Cipher, Nomenclator -- Notes on Terms in Cryptology" to mention that there is an instance where a list of code words without any substitution alphabet is called "chifre".
03/11/2019
A Simple Specimen of Variable-Length Symbol Italian Cipher with Ambiguous Reading Frames
Many Italian figure ciphers employ variable-length symbols written continuously. This means one cannot tell from a given ciphertext whether "7333" should be parsed as "73 33" or "7 33 3." In Variable-Length Symbols in Italian Numerical Ciphers, I described various ciphers that have some schemes to prevent confusion, and also pointed out that there are some in which "no particular precaution against confusion is employed." For example, "525" can be read as "5(a) 25(a)" or "52(t) 5(a)." With such a cipher, even if one possesses the key, one can never know whether "525" should be parsed as "5 25" or "52 5", without knowledge of the vocabulary.
Such an ambiguity in the reading frame poses an additional difficulty in codebreaking. I suspect two of the three new Vatican Challenge ciphers use such a cipher.
Recently, I came across a specimen (Rome, 20 August 1604, unsigned) of an Italian ciphertext with continuously written figures with ambiguous reading frames (e.g., figures "3"(a), "6"(b), "9"(c) are also used in two-digit figures "33"(m), "36"(n), etc.). Unlike many other ciphers used at the time, this cipher is not homophonic, but a simple monoalphabetic cipher with a regular arrangement.
Hopefully, a specimen of such a simple cipher may give some hint of how to parse continuously written figure streams into separate figures.
99(-)98(-)30(l)3(a)33(m)6(b)3(a)54(s)9(c)27(i)3(a)12(d)29(o)48(r)15(e) 36(n)29(o)54(s)57(t)48(r)29(o) 48(r)27(i)57(t)29(o)48(r)36(n)3(a)57(t)29(o) 42(p)29(o)9(c)24(h)27(i) 21(g)27(i)29(o)48(r)36(n)27(i)
54(s)29(o)36(n)29(o) 12(d)27(i) 54(s)42(p)3(a)21(g)36(n)3(a) 48(r)3(a)9(c)29(o)36(n)57(t)29(o) 27(i)36(n) 54(s)15(e)36(n)3(a)57(t)29(o) 30(l)27(i) 33(m)29(o)30(l)57(t)27(i) 12(d)27(i)54(s)21(g)60(u)54(s)57(t)27(i)
9(c)24(h)15(e) 45(q)60(u)15(e)30(l)30(l)27(i) 33(m)27(i)36(n)27(i)54(s)57(t)48(r)27(i) 42(p)48(r)15(e)57(t)15(e)36(n)12(d)29(o)36(n)29(o) 48(r)27(i)9(c)15(e)v(60)15(e)48(r)15(e) 12(d)27(i) 45(q)60(u)3(a) 54(s)15(e)36(n)
12(d)29(o)54(s)27(i) v(60)27(i)54(s)57(t)3(a) 57(t)3(a)36(n)57(t)3(a) 3(a)30(l)27(i)15(e)36(n)3(a)69(z)27(i)29(o)36(n)15(e) 12(d)3(a)30(l) 54(s)15(e)48(r)v(60)27(i)69(z)27(i)29(o) 12(d)27(i) Midas 9(c)29(o)36(n) 57(t)
3(a)36(n)57(t)27(i) 54(s)15(e)21(g)36(n)27(i) 3(a)42(p)42(p)3(a)48(r)15(e)36(n)57(t)27(i) 15(e)57(t) 42(p)3(a)48(r)57(t)27(i)9(c)29(o)30(l)3(a)48(r)33(m)15(e)36(n)57(t)15(e) 9(c)24(h)15(e) 54(s)27(i) 9(c)29(o)36(n)42(p)
29(o)48(r)57(t)27(i) 45(q)60(u)27(i) 42(p)15(e)48(r)54(s)29(o)36(n)15(e) 9(c)24(h)15(e) 3(a)v(60)27(i)54(s)27(i)36(n)29(o) 15(e) 48(r)3(a)21(g)21(g)60(u)3(a)21(g)30(l)27(i)36(n)29(o) 9(c)29(o)54(s)57(t)27(i)
57(t)60(u)57(t)57(t)29(o) 45(q)60(u)3(a)36(n)57(t)29(o) 42(p)3(a)54(s)54(s)3(a) 27(i)36(n) 27(i)57(t)3(a)30(l)27(i)3(a) 54(s)42(p)15(e)57(t)57(t)3(a)36(n)57(t)15(e) 3(a)30(l)30(l)15(e) 9(c)29(o)54(s)15(e) 12(d)27(i) Midas
3(a)48(r)57(t)15(e) s(54)42(p)3(a)21(g)36(n)29(o) 30(l)15(e)54(s)9(c)3(a) 9(c)24(h)15(e) v(60)29(o)21(g)30(l)27(i)29(o)36(n)29(o) 27(i)36(n)18(f)15(e)48(r)27(i)48(r)15(e) 3(a)30(l)57(t)48(r)29(o) 42(p)15(e)48(r)29(o) 15(e)
6(b)15(e)36(n)15(e) 30(l)3(a) 36(n)15(e) 54(s)27(i)3(a) 3(a)60(u)27(i)54(s)3(a)57(t)3(a) 24(h)27(i)15(e)48(r)27(i) 30(l)3(a)30(l)57(t)48(r)29(o) 12(d)60(u)15(e) 6(b)3(a)48(r)9(c)24(h)15(e) 12(d)27(i) 18(f)27(i)36(n)3(a)30(l)15(e) 42(p)48(r)
15(e)54(s)15(e)48(r)29(o) 30(l)3(a) 18(f)48(r)15(e)21(g)3(a)57(t)3(a) 12(d)15(e)30(l)30(l)27(i) 21(g)60(u)3(a)48(r)12(d)27(i)3(a)36(n)27(i) 12(d)15(e)30(l) 9(c)29(o)33(m)33(m)15(e)48(r)69(z)27(i)29(o) 9(c)29(o)36(n) 57(t)60(u)57(t)
57(t)27(i) 30(l)27(i) 24(h)60(u)29(o)33(m)27(i)36(n)27(i) 9(c)24(h)15(e) v(60)27(i)15(e)48(r)3(a)36(n)29(o) 54(s)29(o)42(p)48(r)3(a) 45(q)60(u)3(a)30(l)27(i) 54(s)29(o)36(n)29(o) 54(s)57(t)3(a)57(t)27(i)
33(m)3(a)36(n)12(d)3(a)57(t)27(i) 30(l)27(i)21(g)3(a)57(t)27(i) 3(a) 33(m)27(i)30(l)3(a)36(n)29(o) 42(p)15(e)48(r) 24(h)3(a)v(60)15(e)48(r)15(e) 15(e)54(s)54(s)3(a) 48(r)27(i)9(c)29(o)36(n)29(o)54(s)9(c)27(i)60(u)57(t)29(o)
60(u)36(n) v(60)3(a)54(s)9(c)15(e)30(l)30(l)29(o) 9(c)3(a)48(r)27(i)9(c)29(o) 12(d)27(i) 29(o)30(l)27(i)29(o) 9(c)24(h)15(e) v(60)15(e)36(n)27(i)60(u)3(a) 3(a)30(l) 12(d)15(e)57(t)57(t)29(o) 30(l)60(u)29(o)21(g)29(o)
27(i)30(l) 45(q)60(u)3(a)30(l)15(e) 60(u)3(a)54(s)9(c)15(e)30(l)30(l)29(o) 36(n)29(o)36(n) 24(h)3(a)v(60)15(e)v(60)3(a) 30(l)3(a) 30(l)27(i)9(c)15(e)36(n)69(z)3(a) 9(c)29(o)54(s)27(i) 18(f)60(u) 42(p)48(r)15(e)54(s)29(o) 15(e)57(t)
42(p)15(e)48(r) 12(d)27(i)54(s)42(p)15(e)57(t)57(t)29(o) 18(f)15(e)9(c)15(e)48(r)29(o) 3(a)48(r)33(m)3(a)48(r)15(e) 30(l)15(e)54(s)60(u)12(d)15(e)57(t)57(t)15(e) 12(d)60(u)15(e)6(b)3(a)48(r)9(c)24(h)15(e) 3(a) 42(p)27(i)
21(g)30(l)27(i)3(a)48(r)30(l)3(a) 9(c)29(o)54(s)3(a) 9(c)24(h)15(e) 12(d)3(a) 15(e)54(s)57(t)48(r)15(e)33(m)39[e?] 12(d)29(o)30(l)29(o)48(r)15(e) 3(a)30(l)30(l)3(a) 57(t)15(e)48(r)48(r)3(a) 57(t)48(r)3(a)57(t)57(t)3(a)36(n)
12(d)29(o)54(s)27(i) 12(d)15(e) 57(t)60(u)48(r)6(b)3(a)57(t)3(a) 27(j)60(u)48(r)27(i)54(s)12(d)27(i)69(z)69(z)27(i)29(o)36(n)15(e) 15(e)57(t) 12(d)15(e) 30(l)3(a) 42(p)48(r)29(o)v(60)27(i)54(s)27(i)29(o)36(n)
15(e) 15(e)30(l)30(l)3(a) 30(l)29(o)54(s)3(a)42(p)48(r)3(a)
The plaintext is:
--lambasciadore nostro ritornato pochi giorni
sono di spagna raconto in senato li molti disgusti
che quelli ministri pretendono ricevere di qua sen
dosi vista tanta alienazione dal servizio di Midas con t
anti segni apparenti et particolarmente che si conp
orti qui persone che avisino e ragguaglino costi
tutto quanto passa in italia spettante alle cose di Midas
arte spagno lesca che vogliono inferire altro pero e
bene la ne sia auisata hieri laltro due barche di finale pr
esero la fregata delli guardiani del commerzio con tut
ti li huomini che vierano sopra quali sono stati
mandati ligati a milano per havere essa riconosciuto
un vascello carico di olio che veniua al detto luogo
il quale uascello non haveva la licenza cosi fu preso et
per dispetto fecero armare lesudette duebarche a pi
gliarla cosa che da estrem[e?] dolore alla terra trattan
dosi de turbata jurisdizzione et de la provision
e ella losapra
Such an ambiguity in the reading frame poses an additional difficulty in codebreaking. I suspect two of the three new Vatican Challenge ciphers use such a cipher.
Recently, I came across a specimen (Rome, 20 August 1604, unsigned) of an Italian ciphertext with continuously written figures with ambiguous reading frames (e.g., figures "3"(a), "6"(b), "9"(c) are also used in two-digit figures "33"(m), "36"(n), etc.). Unlike many other ciphers used at the time, this cipher is not homophonic, but a simple monoalphabetic cipher with a regular arrangement.
Hopefully, a specimen of such a simple cipher may give some hint of how to parse continuously written figure streams into separate figures.
99(-)98(-)30(l)3(a)33(m)6(b)3(a)54(s)9(c)27(i)3(a)12(d)29(o)48(r)15(e) 36(n)29(o)54(s)57(t)48(r)29(o) 48(r)27(i)57(t)29(o)48(r)36(n)3(a)57(t)29(o) 42(p)29(o)9(c)24(h)27(i) 21(g)27(i)29(o)48(r)36(n)27(i)
54(s)29(o)36(n)29(o) 12(d)27(i) 54(s)42(p)3(a)21(g)36(n)3(a) 48(r)3(a)9(c)29(o)36(n)57(t)29(o) 27(i)36(n) 54(s)15(e)36(n)3(a)57(t)29(o) 30(l)27(i) 33(m)29(o)30(l)57(t)27(i) 12(d)27(i)54(s)21(g)60(u)54(s)57(t)27(i)
9(c)24(h)15(e) 45(q)60(u)15(e)30(l)30(l)27(i) 33(m)27(i)36(n)27(i)54(s)57(t)48(r)27(i) 42(p)48(r)15(e)57(t)15(e)36(n)12(d)29(o)36(n)29(o) 48(r)27(i)9(c)15(e)v(60)15(e)48(r)15(e) 12(d)27(i) 45(q)60(u)3(a) 54(s)15(e)36(n)
12(d)29(o)54(s)27(i) v(60)27(i)54(s)57(t)3(a) 57(t)3(a)36(n)57(t)3(a) 3(a)30(l)27(i)15(e)36(n)3(a)69(z)27(i)29(o)36(n)15(e) 12(d)3(a)30(l) 54(s)15(e)48(r)v(60)27(i)69(z)27(i)29(o) 12(d)27(i) Midas 9(c)29(o)36(n) 57(t)
3(a)36(n)57(t)27(i) 54(s)15(e)21(g)36(n)27(i) 3(a)42(p)42(p)3(a)48(r)15(e)36(n)57(t)27(i) 15(e)57(t) 42(p)3(a)48(r)57(t)27(i)9(c)29(o)30(l)3(a)48(r)33(m)15(e)36(n)57(t)15(e) 9(c)24(h)15(e) 54(s)27(i) 9(c)29(o)36(n)42(p)
29(o)48(r)57(t)27(i) 45(q)60(u)27(i) 42(p)15(e)48(r)54(s)29(o)36(n)15(e) 9(c)24(h)15(e) 3(a)v(60)27(i)54(s)27(i)36(n)29(o) 15(e) 48(r)3(a)21(g)21(g)60(u)3(a)21(g)30(l)27(i)36(n)29(o) 9(c)29(o)54(s)57(t)27(i)
57(t)60(u)57(t)57(t)29(o) 45(q)60(u)3(a)36(n)57(t)29(o) 42(p)3(a)54(s)54(s)3(a) 27(i)36(n) 27(i)57(t)3(a)30(l)27(i)3(a) 54(s)42(p)15(e)57(t)57(t)3(a)36(n)57(t)15(e) 3(a)30(l)30(l)15(e) 9(c)29(o)54(s)15(e) 12(d)27(i) Midas
3(a)48(r)57(t)15(e) s(54)42(p)3(a)21(g)36(n)29(o) 30(l)15(e)54(s)9(c)3(a) 9(c)24(h)15(e) v(60)29(o)21(g)30(l)27(i)29(o)36(n)29(o) 27(i)36(n)18(f)15(e)48(r)27(i)48(r)15(e) 3(a)30(l)57(t)48(r)29(o) 42(p)15(e)48(r)29(o) 15(e)
6(b)15(e)36(n)15(e) 30(l)3(a) 36(n)15(e) 54(s)27(i)3(a) 3(a)60(u)27(i)54(s)3(a)57(t)3(a) 24(h)27(i)15(e)48(r)27(i) 30(l)3(a)30(l)57(t)48(r)29(o) 12(d)60(u)15(e) 6(b)3(a)48(r)9(c)24(h)15(e) 12(d)27(i) 18(f)27(i)36(n)3(a)30(l)15(e) 42(p)48(r)
15(e)54(s)15(e)48(r)29(o) 30(l)3(a) 18(f)48(r)15(e)21(g)3(a)57(t)3(a) 12(d)15(e)30(l)30(l)27(i) 21(g)60(u)3(a)48(r)12(d)27(i)3(a)36(n)27(i) 12(d)15(e)30(l) 9(c)29(o)33(m)33(m)15(e)48(r)69(z)27(i)29(o) 9(c)29(o)36(n) 57(t)60(u)57(t)
57(t)27(i) 30(l)27(i) 24(h)60(u)29(o)33(m)27(i)36(n)27(i) 9(c)24(h)15(e) v(60)27(i)15(e)48(r)3(a)36(n)29(o) 54(s)29(o)42(p)48(r)3(a) 45(q)60(u)3(a)30(l)27(i) 54(s)29(o)36(n)29(o) 54(s)57(t)3(a)57(t)27(i)
33(m)3(a)36(n)12(d)3(a)57(t)27(i) 30(l)27(i)21(g)3(a)57(t)27(i) 3(a) 33(m)27(i)30(l)3(a)36(n)29(o) 42(p)15(e)48(r) 24(h)3(a)v(60)15(e)48(r)15(e) 15(e)54(s)54(s)3(a) 48(r)27(i)9(c)29(o)36(n)29(o)54(s)9(c)27(i)60(u)57(t)29(o)
60(u)36(n) v(60)3(a)54(s)9(c)15(e)30(l)30(l)29(o) 9(c)3(a)48(r)27(i)9(c)29(o) 12(d)27(i) 29(o)30(l)27(i)29(o) 9(c)24(h)15(e) v(60)15(e)36(n)27(i)60(u)3(a) 3(a)30(l) 12(d)15(e)57(t)57(t)29(o) 30(l)60(u)29(o)21(g)29(o)
27(i)30(l) 45(q)60(u)3(a)30(l)15(e) 60(u)3(a)54(s)9(c)15(e)30(l)30(l)29(o) 36(n)29(o)36(n) 24(h)3(a)v(60)15(e)v(60)3(a) 30(l)3(a) 30(l)27(i)9(c)15(e)36(n)69(z)3(a) 9(c)29(o)54(s)27(i) 18(f)60(u) 42(p)48(r)15(e)54(s)29(o) 15(e)57(t)
42(p)15(e)48(r) 12(d)27(i)54(s)42(p)15(e)57(t)57(t)29(o) 18(f)15(e)9(c)15(e)48(r)29(o) 3(a)48(r)33(m)3(a)48(r)15(e) 30(l)15(e)54(s)60(u)12(d)15(e)57(t)57(t)15(e) 12(d)60(u)15(e)6(b)3(a)48(r)9(c)24(h)15(e) 3(a) 42(p)27(i)
21(g)30(l)27(i)3(a)48(r)30(l)3(a) 9(c)29(o)54(s)3(a) 9(c)24(h)15(e) 12(d)3(a) 15(e)54(s)57(t)48(r)15(e)33(m)39[e?] 12(d)29(o)30(l)29(o)48(r)15(e) 3(a)30(l)30(l)3(a) 57(t)15(e)48(r)48(r)3(a) 57(t)48(r)3(a)57(t)57(t)3(a)36(n)
12(d)29(o)54(s)27(i) 12(d)15(e) 57(t)60(u)48(r)6(b)3(a)57(t)3(a) 27(j)60(u)48(r)27(i)54(s)12(d)27(i)69(z)69(z)27(i)29(o)36(n)15(e) 15(e)57(t) 12(d)15(e) 30(l)3(a) 42(p)48(r)29(o)v(60)27(i)54(s)27(i)29(o)36(n)
15(e) 15(e)30(l)30(l)3(a) 30(l)29(o)54(s)3(a)42(p)48(r)3(a)
The plaintext is:
--lambasciadore nostro ritornato pochi giorni
sono di spagna raconto in senato li molti disgusti
che quelli ministri pretendono ricevere di qua sen
dosi vista tanta alienazione dal servizio di Midas con t
anti segni apparenti et particolarmente che si conp
orti qui persone che avisino e ragguaglino costi
tutto quanto passa in italia spettante alle cose di Midas
arte spagno lesca che vogliono inferire altro pero e
bene la ne sia auisata hieri laltro due barche di finale pr
esero la fregata delli guardiani del commerzio con tut
ti li huomini che vierano sopra quali sono stati
mandati ligati a milano per havere essa riconosciuto
un vascello carico di olio che veniua al detto luogo
il quale uascello non haveva la licenza cosi fu preso et
per dispetto fecero armare lesudette duebarche a pi
gliarla cosa che da estrem[e?] dolore alla terra trattan
dosi de turbata jurisdizzione et de la provision
e ella losapra
22/09/2019
Search For Japanese Patents
The article in Japanese, 昔の特許文献の探し方と戦前の暗号関係の特許（付：戦前の中間処理実例）, describes pre-WWII Japanese patents related to cryptography. My guides to search for patents in J-PlatPat, the database of the Japan Patent Office, was outdated since a major reconstruction of the JPO website in May 2019. Now, I updated the descriptions to reflect the changes.
17/08/2019
Diplomatic Ciphers of Ambassadors of Henry III of France
I made a substantial enlargement on
"French ciphers during the Reign of Henry III of France"
by adding about a dozen reconstructed ciphers. Most of them are symbol ciphers similar to each other, but two are numerical ciphers.
"French ciphers during the Reign of Henry III of France"
by adding about a dozen reconstructed ciphers. Most of them are symbol ciphers similar to each other, but two are numerical ciphers.
06/08/2019
Three New Vatican Challenges
A private email made me aware of three new Vatican challenge ciphertexts posted by George Lasry at MTC3. I spent many days on the Part 4 and Part 5 ciphertexts, but my attempts with methods described in, e.g., "Ciphertext-only Attack on "Vatican Challenge" Ciphers (1625, 1628)" have been unsuccessful.
The challenge ciphertexts are as follows:
The Vatican Challenge - Part 3 ... a short message dated "Brusseles 9 Oct. 1721", consisting of one- to four-digit figures.
The Vatican Challenge - Part 4 ... a letter from the bishop of Senigallia to the Secretariat, consisting of figures. The cleartext seems to include the date "Marzo 1536."
The Vatican Challenge - Part 5 ... The cleartext seems to include the date "Aprile 1542." According to the introduction of the challenge, this letter is in a bundle of "Lett. Orig. e cifre del card. Farnese al nunzio, 4 oct 1539-24 nov. 1548. ff. 7-123."
My article "Variable-Length Symbols in Italian Numerical Ciphers" describes various types of Vatican figure ciphers.
I guess the Part 4 cipher is something like the cipher for Cardinal Savello (1583) in that the same digit may have a value of its own and may also be a part of a two-digit symbol with a different value (e.g., "3"="i", "1"="o", but "31"="f"). See pdf for contexts of some frequent patterns in KWIC.
I guess the Part 5 cipher is something like Cardinal of Carpi's cipher with Granvelle (1548-1549). If so, there will be a difficulty in telling if a two-figure combination has a value of its own or is a part of a three-digit symbol (e.g., "90"="s", "901"="g"). See pdf for contexts of a frequent pattern and "^".
At present, I feel the ciphers are not polyphonic. But a polyphonic cipher like that of the bishop of Nazareth (1585) cannot be totally excluded.
Any ideas?
The challenge ciphertexts are as follows:
The Vatican Challenge - Part 3 ... a short message dated "Brusseles 9 Oct. 1721", consisting of one- to four-digit figures.
The Vatican Challenge - Part 4 ... a letter from the bishop of Senigallia to the Secretariat, consisting of figures. The cleartext seems to include the date "Marzo 1536."
The Vatican Challenge - Part 5 ... The cleartext seems to include the date "Aprile 1542." According to the introduction of the challenge, this letter is in a bundle of "Lett. Orig. e cifre del card. Farnese al nunzio, 4 oct 1539-24 nov. 1548. ff. 7-123."
My article "Variable-Length Symbols in Italian Numerical Ciphers" describes various types of Vatican figure ciphers.
I guess the Part 4 cipher is something like the cipher for Cardinal Savello (1583) in that the same digit may have a value of its own and may also be a part of a two-digit symbol with a different value (e.g., "3"="i", "1"="o", but "31"="f"). See pdf for contexts of some frequent patterns in KWIC.
I guess the Part 5 cipher is something like Cardinal of Carpi's cipher with Granvelle (1548-1549). If so, there will be a difficulty in telling if a two-figure combination has a value of its own or is a part of a three-digit symbol (e.g., "90"="s", "901"="g"). See pdf for contexts of a frequent pattern and "^".
At present, I feel the ciphers are not polyphonic. But a polyphonic cipher like that of the bishop of Nazareth (1585) cannot be totally excluded.
Any ideas?
04/08/2019
Beware of Leading Zeros when Using Microsoft Excel
I described how to do frequency count with Microsoft Excel in "Frequency Count (with Microsoft Excel)". Now, I found the COUNTIF function of Microsoft Excel ignores leading zeros, even if the cell category is set to "Text". So, if "12" and "012" needs to be distinguished, some measures have to be taken to force Excel to interpret these as text instead of numbers. I added a note on this matter.
23/07/2019
An Early Vatican Cipher from 1520
A private email from Morocco made me aware of a letter partly in cipher to Cardinal Mathieu Schiner from one of his emissaries. Although it is not known whether Schiner used the same or similar cipher with Rome, the cipher is similar to later Vatican ciphers in being written as a stream of figures without break. This is the earliest specimen of such figure ciphers known to me.
See "An Early Vatican Cipher (1520)" for details.
See "An Early Vatican Cipher (1520)" for details.
27/06/2019
Dian ma Xin bian (電碼新編) as early as 1912?
I acquired a copy of Dian ma Xin bian (電碼新編), a Chinese telegraph codebook, and added its images at
電碼――中国の文字コード (in Japanese) and
Chinese Telegraph Code (CTC),or A Brief History of Chinese Character Code (CCC) (abridged English version of the above).
The seller's website dated this as "1912", but, as expected, the book had nothing to support this dating. I think this copy was from the late 1930s.
09/05/2019
Japanese Cryptographic Postcard (before WWII)
I acquired a curious unused Japanese postcard (probably before WWII) depicting a cipher wheel and described it in
"日本の電信暗号" and
"Japanese Telegraph Codes".
It's titled Ango Onshin(暗号音信).
(I know this has nothing to do with telegraphy, but there is no other article for this item to fit in.)
"日本の電信暗号" and
"Japanese Telegraph Codes".
It's titled Ango Onshin(暗号音信).
(I know this has nothing to do with telegraphy, but there is no other article for this item to fit in.)
08/05/2019
Ciphers of Henry III of France
I uploaded a new article "French ciphers during the Reign of Henry III of France."
It includes more than a dozen ciphers of his reign that I reconstructed from materials in the French archives. The reconstruction was done some years ago, but it took time in organizing them into a preesntable format.
There remain many undeciphered letters, many of which can now be deciphered with the help of the reconstructed keys by those versed in the language and background.
There are also some ciphers still unidentified.
It includes more than a dozen ciphers of his reign that I reconstructed from materials in the French archives. The reconstruction was done some years ago, but it took time in organizing them into a preesntable format.
There remain many undeciphered letters, many of which can now be deciphered with the help of the reconstructed keys by those versed in the language and background.
There are also some ciphers still unidentified.
28/04/2019
Kurabo's Telegraph Code from 1890
I found an early telegraph code (1890) of Kurabo (倉敷紡績) on the web and added a reference to it in
日本の電信暗号 (in Japanese).
日本の電信暗号 (in Japanese).
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