Kryptologi, Enigma maskinen og RSA-kryptering
Abstract
This paper examines a few widely used methods of cryptology and takes a look at the German Enigma-machine’s influence on how the 2. World War evolved, especially concerning the Battle of the Atlantic. Throughout time, humans have had the need to communicate secretly. The most practical way of doing this is through cryptology. Due to this, there is an extremely large number of different algorithms to ensure the secureness of transferring information. Not until recently, there has been a method that is practically unbreakable, while also working in the real world. The method is called RSA-encryption, and is widely used all over the world by banks, websites, and basically anyone who wants to transfer information easily and securely. RSA-encryption is based on prime numbers and their unique properties, but the overall principle is the same as any other cryptological method. During the Second World War the Germans used a machine for encrypting and decrypting their messages. This machine was called Enigma, and played an important part in the war. In this paper there is a detailed description of how the Enigma worked and what the influence on the war was, when the Allies broke its code. [Læs mere…]