Analysis and Implementation of the Enigma Machine

The Enigma Machine is considered as powerful cipher machine, it managed to protect the messages of German for a long time. This study synthesizes and examines the current literature on Enigma Machine and implements the Enigma algorithm using Java. The history, structure, and cryptographic algorithms of the Enigma machine are presented and analysed. The Virtual Enigma Machine imitates the processes of encryption and decryption, and shows the changes of rotors. Each letter of message passes through the plugboard and rotors, and then is exchanged to another letter based on different keys. The experiment result demonstrates that the Enigma Machine had the state-of-art mathematics in that time and the complex mechanical design. In that time it had many undoubtedly unique advantages. Thus, the Enigma Machine is an unquestionable milestone in classical cryptography. However, as a classical cipher, it cannot be denied that there are many shortages of the Enigma Machine that can cause significant security problems, such as when the Enigma Machine is working, there is only one rotor will rotate. The cracking of these flaws led to the realization of the flaws of classical ciphers and contributed to the advancement of technology and the development of cryptography. The process by which it was broken has also provided researchers with valuable historical lessons to guide the design and use of modern ciphers. As widely used and excellent classical cipher, the Enigma Machine was ultimate used for evil by Nazi Germany, and the analysis and cracking of the Enigma code are excellent examples of showing the public that cryptography can have a huge effect on real life.