Kryha Cryptanalysis - Parker Hitt's 1930 feat


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Introduction

The cipher machine Kryha was evaluated and rejected early in 1930 by the U.S. Army. The evaluation was carried out by Col. Parker Hitt. Manuscripts of two documents (which date from 1929 and 1930) describing his solution have survived. Frode Weirund made these documents available (cf. Reference).

This page is dedicated to deciphering the 1930 message.

Cryptograms

Here are the cryptograms analyzed by Parker Hitt.

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_1.cry
YGJAW BICFJ BOGCB CYUHO BDGNE DFXET AHAJE TIDIS ZOXAU GRIDH UTKUK RLWCD

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_2.cry
RJCWY CGLOM PSIIK MIMJM RSFAV YNBWU RAVQL JEXMJ TFMQZ IFEAB KGHWZ OCIDB
GXNBR LQOLT SAGPF BPPYG

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_3.cry
GVJUS CRCKE SOPUB HLJAM JYIBZ YDBXW IWAXL MAYBI DXLHQ LNDYX ZTHQR OJVWT
GJAGE SMKZN WGZOB NPUKN CBFIT

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_4.cry
DTOYT WSYZO WOQCD STIFX RDWHD WIKVC WHXTN DRJWW TZAHS KJIKJ TSNSR MCPHQ
IBIAA BJRLS FDZHQ

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_5.cry
WJEIW BICGP SXHAE ZNUNZ KXGHE YPUVN SADDW EVZWU WWHUC BNEFT DBDSR FCYAA
CMOQE PVRTK AJOYQ ZKVY

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_6.cry
YWYRY ZAVVD ALEGX ETESJ MDWMU NTQHI RDGQK EUJMS YHCHC FZIQX TFERY YPUQR

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_7.cry
IDDHB CJWOV NVFYY JBNSM ZJZAG YFPED WALDE EBJWO JAAJG GFYBZ OOSNR FYWLP
IBFVA JXYSK

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_8.cry
BVMWM HJCYX VOHZE WNMLD KDWPG HIFWU UAUDD EOEFH ZVUZI GNFFK PMQCZ ENMSJ
SKMGT AVYLT DDJRQ KBBYG

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_9.cry
MYPBX WWGEV PEUJE MTUNP JJWSL WKEID WUIRL WVDZG LVJZI INOJK YFSMV YIRJQ
OTGIH WMBUP CCQUL

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_10.cry
VYSNA MPBAM WPFKK EBNKV HDWTQ MFLKZ EAQIV JSBWS CFXHH YDKUL PLDPR OCIGF
TBOFW JSQHK UJFVB BHPYG

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_11.cry
TFCCG GSEVI XQIAK ELJQH KCWSB HTVJA IEURW HFDHY UOLHX ETWNI OZWWR SFMBR
SBZUG IOSVK

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_12.cry
NVNJX WIBIN OCSXO ECHJF AYYUX YJGUG TTHMG RNGGI RBCHN CIJAP DZUJQ LXWYT
METCQ QFNDE

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_13.cry
RAIZT HWUQE XAOCU VGUMI BJXSV BBOXW IJHQG HITIU DXFDC BIANY YTSFM LTMEW
IBFIK LXDQT

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_14.cry
FWKPT MYEON TYZCU EABJV ONXQL PBWBG OGXDJ HWYBY LVTZG CFMNK PEGCE RRRFV
CLUZB PCVTK

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_15.cry
RJINF MTCAP BVFZU FDESM OTHSG VWFJO EKXEH MEDKC YAJHV KFVNX ULCWR SCIFP
AKKCA

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_16.cry
LTUST FBCGY XVGBP JJLMX OIFNA YFXES PWABU MEDFN JEXRJ XIMLP UWPSB
RAJCU XBFIK LJUBS AJZHQ

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_17.cry
IQJPJ WLAXN TOQZL WCUZD PZGAK WDYKH DMYNR DELWQ QOLDS BFMEJ KTVWP
LBVXA VBIKA WVEJK

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_18.cry
VJYDT NCINO VOEVL KYUGV FWXRC YFEVM VHXAU VIFZP GWSZC VKUUI PPKOM
LRYBW CLMZN LMITO

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_19.cry
IDNPW JIGVD MKRGZ EVZQV EDKQI PFQBF RWGJY DIWDY VYIZC XNOLZ YTGCD
LJIGR LOUEA SPHQK SDZOO

$ cat MSGS/PARKER_HITT_20.cry
QVEDW BICVQ UAUCU VRJQM HYBWV DFQMO EHRNM KDLWK YHAHZ MBCNZ UOESR
IYACF CLMZN LIOWQ ADLMW WPAPQ

The Key

Parker Hitt reconstituted the key. The wheel used did not match the standard wheel.

  • The shifts for each sector: 6, 9, 8, 10, 6, 9, 7, 8, 10, 7, 9, 8, 10, 6, 7, 9, 10, 5, 7, 6, 5, 7, 10
  • The wheel corresponding to these offsets (assuming a constant offset of 4 positions):
    2, 5, 4, 6, 2, 5, 3, 4, 6, 3, 5, 4, 6, 2, 3, 5, 6, 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 6 (23 sectors)
  • Internal Alphabet : FGXKELZWYVBUATDRQCPOINHSJM
  • External Alphabet : JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA
  • Initial shift for internal alphabet: 6

Example of decryption:

$ echo YGJAW BIC |  python3 kryha_tui.py -o \
	-s 6,9,8,10,6,9,7,8,10,7,9,8,10,6,7,9,10,5,7,6,5,7,10 \
	-i FGXKELZWYVBUATDRQCPOINHSJM \
	-e JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA -a 6 -d -D
...
         INHSJMFGXKELZWYVBUATDRQCPO
         JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA
0001 : 06, [00] , Y -> C
         DRQCPOINHSJMFGXKELZWYVBUAT
         JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA
0002 : 12, [06] , G -> L
         LZWYVBUATDRQCPOINHSJMFGXKE
         JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA
0003 : 21, [09] , J -> O
         SJMFGXKELZWYVBUATDRQCPOINH
         JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA
0004 : 03, [08] , A -> S
         TDRQCPOINHSJMFGXKELZWYVBUA
         JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA
0005 : 13, [10] , W -> I
         WYVBUATDRQCPOINHSJMFGXKELZ
         JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA
0006 : 19, [06] , B -> N
         JMFGXKELZWYVBUATDRQCPOINHS
         JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA
0007 : 02, [09] , I -> G
         CPOINHSJMFGXKELZWYVBUATDRQ
         JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA
0008 : 09, [07] , C -> J
CLOSINGJ

$ echo  YGJAW BIC | python3 kryha_tui.py -o \
	-i FGXKELZWYVBUATDRQCPOINHSJM \
	-e JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA -a 6 -d -w parker1930
CLOSINGJ

$ cat keys/parker1930.whl
2, 5, 4, 6, 2, 5, 3, 4, 6, 3, 5, 4, 6, 2, 3, 5, 6, 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 6

Deciphering

$ cat parker1930.sh
#!/bin/sh
python3 kryha_tui.py -o \
	-s 6,9,8,10,6,9,7,8,10,7,9,8,10,6,7,9,10,5,7,6,5,7,10 \
	-i FGXKELZWYVBUATDRQCPOINHSJM -e JXWNQMYPZHEKFLCSBDTOIRGVUA \
	-a 6 -d < $1 | fold -w 70

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_1.cry
CLOSINGJDATEJJALLJBIDJIULYJFIFTEENTHJJLATEJBIDSJNOTJACCEPTED

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_2.cry
REFERENCEJJCONTRACTJGHOSTJRIVERJPROIECTJADVISEJEXPECTEDCOMPLETIONJDATE
JURGENTJJJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_3.cry
PROCEEDJIMMEDIATELYJMILLSJCITYJREPORTINGJONJARRIVALJTOJCJIJBECKETTJHOT
ELJVICTORIAJJJJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_4.cry
IACKJJADVISESJNOTHINGJJAVAILABLEJTHEREJHAVEJYOUJTRIEDJJIONSONJORJMARTI
NJJJJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_5.cry
LEAVINGJTOMORROWJJSPECIALJTRAINJFORJSTJLOUISJJRESERVEJJROOMSJSTATLERJJ
SELFJANDJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_6.cry
CONTRACTJSIGNEDJTODAYJJWILLJFORWARDJDETAILSJJBYJMAILJTONIGHT

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_7.cry
JJHAVEJBEENJADVISEDJLEASEJJWILLJNOTJBEJRENEWEDJCANJYOUJRETURNJATJONCEJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_8.cry
BRIEFSJJANDERSONJCASEJJRECIEVEDJHOWJABOUTJHENDRYSJAFFIDAVEBXYOUEXPECTE
DJTOJGETJJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_9.cry
MILLSJHEREJREPORTJSOMEJJCANCELLATIONSJANDJGENERALJSLOWINGJDOWNJNEWJBUS
INESS

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_10.cry
SITUATIONJSHAFTJSEVENJJBADJSOMEJCAVINGJANDJJMUCHJWATERJCOMINGJTHROUGHJ
CEILINGJJJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_11.cry
OFFICIALJREPORTJELEVENJJOCLOCKJTHIRTYJSEVENJKILLEDJONEJTWENTYJMISSINGJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_12.cry
XRBXSJGOKGXZGKZJGKTXOIXCKJUKXJOXIQSKXLIGXXSJQPIQXSROPXXJQTXBZIFJQKXXXX

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_13.cry
RUSHJSHIPMENTJJMYJORDERJTWENTYJFIRSTJALLJOUTJJITEMSJONEJSEVENJANDJNINE

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_14.cry
YOURJTELEGRAMJJJDATEJPROCEEDJJASJOFTLINEDJKEEPJMEJADVISEDJOFJRESULTSJJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_15.cry
RESULTSJNOTJASJGOODJJASJEXPECTEDJHEREJGOINGJTOJSEATTLEJTOMORROWJJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_16.cry
KAYJJOFJTHEJJOPINIONJYOURJJFIGURESAREJOVERJOPTIMISTICJRECHECKJANDJADVI
SEJJJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_17.cry
JWORKJPROGRESSINGJJSATISFACTORILYJNEEDJTWENTYJJMOREJMENJFIRSTJOFJWEEKJ

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_18.cry
SENDJCONFIDENTIALJREPORTJJJCAUSEJDAMJFAILUREJANDJDAMAGEJDONEJRUSHJJJJB

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_19.cry
JJBRIDGEJSPICERJCREEKJGONEJJJARRANGEJOPERATEJTRAINSJVIAJJMITCHELJTOWNJ
JJJVN

$ sh parker1930.sh MSGS/PARKER_HITT_20.cry
GRADINGJJDONEJJMILEJNINETYJJSTEELJLAIDJMILEJSSEVENTYJJJSEVENJRUSHJRAIL
SJANDJTIES

The Plain text

We replace each letter J with a space.

CLOSING DATE ALL BIID JULY FIFTEENTH LATE BIIDS NOT ACCEPTED
REFERENCE CONTRACT GHOST RIVER PROJECT ADVISE EXPECTED COMPLETION DATE
URGENT
PROCEED IMMEDIATELY MIILLS CITY REPORTING ON ARRIVAL TO C II BECKETT
HOTEL VICTORIA
JACK ADVISES NOTHING AVAILABLE THERE HAVE YOU TRIED JONSON OR MARTIN
LEAVING TOMORROW SPECIAL TRAIN FOR ST LOUIS RESERVE ROOMS STATLER
SELF AND
CONTRACT SIGNED TODAY WILL FORWARD DETAILS BY MAIL TONIGHT
HAVE BEEN ADVISED LEASE WILL NOT BE RENEWED CAN YOU RETURN AT ONCE
BRIEFS ANDERSON CASE RECIEVED HOW ABOUT HENDRYS AFFIIDAVIIT
YOUEXPECTED TO GET
MILLS HERE REPORT SOME CANCELLATIONS AND GENERAL SLOWING DOWN NEW
BUSINESS
SITUATION SHAFT SEVEN BAD SOME CAVING AND MUCH WATER COMIING THROUGH
CEILING
OFFICIAL REPORT ELEVEN OCLOCK THIRTY SEVEN KILLED ONE TWENTY MISSING
IS CARTER PREPARED TO LEAVE AT ONCE FOR CANYON CIITY AND SPOKANE
RUSH SHIPMENT MY ORDER TWENTY FIIRST ALL OUT ITEMS ONE SEVEN AND NINE

Reference

  • Frode Weierud - The Kryha Cipher Machine - Transcript of 1930 manuscript written by Parker Hitt. link