Good evening, cryptologists! Today was our first day of class across the pond. We were introduced to the main cryptology method that we are going to learn about in this MayX, the enigma machine.
The enigma machine was invented in 1918 by Arthur Scherbius, and it was used from then until WW2, primarily by the nazis. Today we learned a little history of the machine, how to encrypt and decrypt, and we discussed the key space.
We practiced encrypting and decrypting using paper enigma machines created by Dr. Woodard and Dr. Millichap. Some groups may have struggled with this at first (definitely not the writers of this post), but eventually everyone got the hang of it. It was fun to see such a complicated machine be used on such a small scale.
After becoming pros at using the enigma, we discussed the size of the key space. There are many different factors that go into determining the key space size, like the rotor positions, indicator settings and plugboard settings. With not all enigmas being made the same, we cannot just determine one size to be true. After some calculations, we came to the conclusion that there are over 100 billion possible keys for some enigma machines, with some likely being much higher.
Lunchtime outside the IES building
After lunch on the lawn outside IES, we headed further into Zone 1 of London for a spy-themed walking tour. We were led by Dan Parry, author, researcher and former BBC broadcaster (would it really be a Furman affiliated blog without a LinkedIn mention? Connect with Dan here!)
We began outside of James Park and made our way around Central London. Stops included embassies, the traditional homes of politicians, prestigious “semi-secret” clubs, and buildings where pivotal MI6 (the British equivalent of the CIA) and MI5 (the British equivalent of the FBI) plans, negotiations, interrogations, and conversations occurred. Other fun sights included Buckingham Palace, Sting’s old home, and filming locations of the Cruella film.
Dan had many exciting espionage and intelligence stories to share with us that left many with dropped jaws. My personal favorite regarded the intelligence success around D-Day. The British navy had a German double agent working for them. He simultaneously sent false information to Germany and provided Britain with valuable information about the Nazis. Each time Germany sent a new spy, Britain was able to capture them and make them work for British forces (if they refused, they received a much worse fate). Eventually, they recruited 107 German spies and were able to get Germany to send them money that ultimately funded D-Day. How ironic!
Josh Saadati, spy code name Josh Doe (so clever), recounts seeing potential spies as his favorite part of the day. London is home to multiple private clubs for certain professions (ex. renowned academics, politicians, etc). One such club is for spies, and we were able to walk by and see people eating lunch in the garden through the shrubbery. Spying on spies? Maybe Josh Doe has a future in espionage.
Today was also our first day using the tube (subway/metro)! With the guidance of Nicky, our IES Abroad liaison and guide for the week, we made our way from Kentish Town Station to Chancery Lane Station for morning class. Students report that the tube was an overall pleasant time, especially that it was “less sticky” than previous public transit experiences.
After scheduled activities, we split off to do some exciting things on our own. Hannah and Caitlyn went to tea shop and got a taste of London’s finest teas. A large group went back to the dorms to nap and rot, and Ava H, Lilia, and I went to a Tate McRae Concert at the O2 Arena. As concert lovers, we had a great time and got to navigate a large section of the tube on our own.
After our tour and a little recharging time, a large group of us went to a pub and enjoyed a soccer/football game, including Dr. Millichap! We had some good food and drinks while watching fake football and spending time with our classmates. There was even a cat roaming the pub, which Millichap was obviously a big fan of.
Overall, our first day of class in London was definitely a success. Thanks for reading!
- Ella and Jay
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