Historical question: Longevity of Colossus.

[Michael Bacon]

Oops, my error.  Must engage brain before replying to list.  Paul is quite
correct, as to best of my knowledge are later correspondents on this topic.
BTW - I understand that (some) Lorenz machines were similarly refurbished
and sold on.

Retired hurt.
Michael (Streaky) Bacon
Streaky
  _____
~(_____)>
  "   "
The opinions given are my own and are not necessarily representative of
those held by my employer.



-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Leyland [mailto:pleyland@microsoft.com]
Sent: 02 August 1999 16:37
To: 'ukcrypto@maillist.ox.ac.uk'
Subject: RE: Historical question: Longevity of Colossus.



> So far as I am aware, decryption of German signals (especially
> those using the Naval Emigma machine) continued for quite some
> time after the war.  Additionally (heresay), captured Enigma
> machines were refurbished and sold to other governments.

While the above is undoubtedly true, and probably explains in large measure
why knowledge that Enigma traffic had been comprehensively broken was
classified for almost thirty years, it doesn't really answer my question.

Colossus was not used to break Enigma.  It was used on the output of the
Lorenz machines.  These enciphered teletype traffic by exoring with a
keystream generated by a rotor machine far more complicated than even Naval
Enigma.


Paul