Research & Development World

  • R&D World Home
  • Topics
    • Aerospace
    • Automotive
    • Biotech
    • Careers
    • Chemistry
    • Environment
    • Energy
    • Life Science
    • Material Science
    • R&D Management
    • Physics
  • Technology
    • 3D Printing
    • A.I./Robotics
    • Software
    • Battery Technology
    • Controlled Environments
      • Cleanrooms
      • Graphene
      • Lasers
      • Regulations/Standards
      • Sensors
    • Imaging
    • Nanotechnology
    • Scientific Computing
      • Big Data
      • HPC/Supercomputing
      • Informatics
      • Security
    • Semiconductors
  • R&D Market Pulse
  • R&D 100
    • Call for Nominations: The 2025 R&D 100 Awards
    • R&D 100 Awards Event
    • R&D 100 Submissions
    • Winner Archive
    • Explore the 2024 R&D 100 award winners and finalists
  • Resources
    • Research Reports
    • Digital Issues
    • R&D Index
    • Subscribe
    • Video
    • Webinars
  • Global Funding Forecast
  • Top Labs
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

Cold War Russian Cipher may Finally be Solved

By R&D Editors | February 4, 2016

Cipher Text Found in Hollow Nickel: At the 1957 trial of Colonel Rudolf Abel for espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union, one of the exhibits in evidence was a bit of microfilm carrying 10 columns, 21 rows, of five-figure groups. This cipher message, found inside a hollow nickel in 1953 and turned over to the FBI, had proved impregnable to solution until its key was made available four years later by the defection of Reino Hayhanen, Abel's erstwhile assistant, to whom the message had been addressed.The Soviet VIC cipher used in the early 1950s, long known for being complex and secure, may not be as impossible to crack as initially assumed.

According to a recent article published in Cryptologia, cracking the infamous Soviet VIC cipher is possible if one understands the enciphering algorithm. According to the article’s author, Jozef Kollar, if one does not know the algorithm, the cipher indeed lives up to its reputation, and becomes nearly impossible to decipher.

The Soviet VIC Cipher, initially used by the Soviet spy Reino Hayhanen, was believed to be one of the most elaborate hand ciphers of its time. When the United States FBI became aware of the cipher, attempts to decipher it were met with little success. According to Kollar, the FBI was not able to crack the cipher until Hayhanen himself defected to the United States in 1957.

However, Kollar asserts that the cipher “consists of a checkerboard substitution followed by two transpositions,” and “cracking such a substitution alone is not much more difficult than cracking a simple monoalphabetic substitution.” Agent Hayhanen used five different parts in his cipher; the first four followed consistent patterns and the last was random.

To crack these parts, one must follow a specific key, which includes Hayhanen’s personal information, a specific password, and the date of the Soviet victory over Japan, and three specific permutations. Kollar outlines the precise steps to decryption in his article.

Ultimately, it appears that the Soviet VIC cipher, long known for its impenetrability and difficulty, may not be as impossible to crack as initially believed. As long as one knows the enciphering algorithm, this well-known cipher could indeed be solvable. One of the biggest mysteries of its time could finally be cracked.

  • Read the full article:http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01611194.2015.1028679

 

Related Articles Read More >

Why IBM predicts quantum advantage within two years
Aardvark AI forecasts rival supercomputer simulations while using over 99.9% less compute
This week in AI research: Latest Insilico Medicine drug enters the clinic, a $0.55/M token model R1 rivals OpenAI’s $60 flagship, and more
How the startup ALAFIA Supercomputers is deploying on-prem AI for medical research and clinical care
rd newsletter
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, trends, and strategies in Research & Development.
RD 25 Power Index

R&D World Digital Issues

Fall 2024 issue

Browse the most current issue of R&D World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading R&D magazine today.

Research & Development World
  • Subscribe to R&D World Magazine
  • Enews Sign Up
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing
  • Global Funding Forecast

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search R&D World

  • R&D World Home
  • Topics
    • Aerospace
    • Automotive
    • Biotech
    • Careers
    • Chemistry
    • Environment
    • Energy
    • Life Science
    • Material Science
    • R&D Management
    • Physics
  • Technology
    • 3D Printing
    • A.I./Robotics
    • Software
    • Battery Technology
    • Controlled Environments
      • Cleanrooms
      • Graphene
      • Lasers
      • Regulations/Standards
      • Sensors
    • Imaging
    • Nanotechnology
    • Scientific Computing
      • Big Data
      • HPC/Supercomputing
      • Informatics
      • Security
    • Semiconductors
  • R&D Market Pulse
  • R&D 100
    • Call for Nominations: The 2025 R&D 100 Awards
    • R&D 100 Awards Event
    • R&D 100 Submissions
    • Winner Archive
    • Explore the 2024 R&D 100 award winners and finalists
  • Resources
    • Research Reports
    • Digital Issues
    • R&D Index
    • Subscribe
    • Video
    • Webinars
  • Global Funding Forecast
  • Top Labs
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE