Code Discussion

[Drogue]

This thread is for the discussion of codes, binary of otherwise.

So far we use Mani Alpha-3's "add four if the 3rd character is 0, add five if it is 1". Other options include Corelli Omega-9's "add a character after the fourth", although I am not sure how well the translates, could be able to get it on a long message. Another option could be to "add one if it is a 0, or two if it is a 1, after the fourth character".

Any others please suggest. I think we need to change, since others may have discovered the code and not told us. I don't put that pass Archaic et al.

[Cedayon]

If you really want encryption, I can come up with a rather complex (ie essentially unbreakable without computers) code, and write a program that converts Ascii strings into our code and back, and distribute that program only to CyCon members (and Googlie, if he wishes).

Another method of deployment is on my cs account website (which isn't linked off the normal web to my knowledge), and put it behind a password prompt (just use our game password, unless you want another one).

The program could be modified to use a different code without affecting the users, particularly if it's web deployed... I could have it generate different encodings based on the day of the week, actually, though that would add complexity to my task.

[Maniac]

Don't forget this proposal by Corelli Omega-9:

Choose a number and convert it to binary through straight number conversions, not the binary converter. Make it a number less than or equal to 7, and keep adding extra zeros to the beginning until it's three digits long. This means the first three digits of each message will be the binary equivilent of a decimal number between 1 and 7, and the binary converters won't work on it. Then add x random digits after the number, where x is the number you chose. Finally, add a random digit after the xth digit of the actual translation.

In order to decrypt, just figure out what number the first three digits represent. Then, figure out the number, delete it, and delete the first x digits of the message after that, where x was the number you just decoded. After that, delete the digit after the xth digit in the message. This should thwart the people who delete numbers progressively.

Here's an example... Let's choose the message akizeta. Choose a number between 1 and 7, like 5. In binary, this comes out as 101. akizeta in binary is 01100001011010110110100101111010011001010111010001
100001
So, add 101 plus five random digits after and it becomes
10110100011000010110101101101001011110100110010101
11010001100001.
Then, add another random digit after the fifth digit of akizeta normally, and you get

10110100011001001011010110110100101111010011001010
111010001100001

This comes out as complete garbage in any translator, and randomly deleting digits won't work. They won't get any sense out of it, and because the inserted random digit is less than 8, they won't get even a single proper character.

As he proposed it, it might be too long for the average lazy cyborg like me, but perhaps we can shorten it to
"Three first bits are a number "x", and you have to delete digit "x" in the real message" and skip the "x" extra random bits.

We could also use different codes, and the last two bits of the message could tell us which code it is. For example, when it's my code, add 00 at the end. If it's Corelli Omega-9's code, add 01, etcetera. That might of course become too complex and tiresome again.

As for the suggestion made of using another code every day of the week (I at least think that was the proposal - I can't find the original post back), that would become too annoying with our different time zones, with posters posting before, and others reading past midnight etcetera.

[Cedayon]

Doing encryption by hand is a pain, as you've noticed, so any such scheme is balanced between ease of decoding with the "key" and difficulty to decode without the key, almost always very heavily towards ease of decoding with. That's why I proposed a program, because a computer doesn't mind performing incredibly tedious encoding or decoding algorithms

I've got an hour or so before I have to go to the lab, I'll see if I can put together a web page for this encryption.

Edit by Maniac: Great idea!
(I edited your post for this short message. That way we can't be accused of spamming in our private forum. )

[Cedayon]

Well, it took 2 hours instead of 1, but I put together an encryption page that implements (I think) Corelli Omega-9's proposal. You can find it at:

http://www.cs.uga.edu/~lamothe/encryptor.html

or

http://peck.cs.uga.edu/~lamothe/encryptor.html

let me know if either/both don't work, as they're on university machines with a possibly large amount of protection/firewalling.

Naturally I would use more involved encryption, in fact I tried, but that's work for another time

edit- btw, it's not perfect, I've seen glitches, but I think it works pretty well.

another edit - I forgot to mention: right now it only works in IE, not netscape, but I'll probably fix that soon

[Drogue]

HongHu has broken our code. I suggest we use Cedayon's coded translator ASAP. I have posted a reply to him in the code with 4 on the top (as per usual) and for on the bottom.

Until Cedayon has got his translator working with something heavily coded, I suggest we use Function Corelli's code.

[Maniac]

HongHu has broken our code.

Perhaps I'm a bit slow, but what makes you think that? I haven't seen him post any decent answer on our binary.

[Corellion]

Cedayon's translator works like a charm! Although I am curious as to the exact encryption you used. The first three letters are a binary number, and the next x digits (where x is the binary number) are deleted, but there's an extra bit of encryption in there. A single extra digit is added, but I don't know where, or what it is. Can you please explain oh great encoder?

BTW, this is perfect... not only is the encoding difficult, but it gives a different number ever time! Let's see them crack that!

Edit: Is there any way I can engage word wrap for the decoder?

[Maniac]

I've done a bit of testing (with 0 = 00110000 and 1 = 00110001 and see what's the difference when encoded), and to me it seems like Corelli's suggestion, but without the extra nonsense bit on the 'x'th spot of the real code. So I can't discover any extra encription.

[Corellion]

Hmm... I've discovered a potential problem.

Since they have made a rough guess at our previous code, they could try the same methods on this code. If they delete digits from the beginning of the message for long enough, they should get the first two or three characters of the message right. These will form a coherent set of letters. They can then determine how many letters are right, multiply by 8, and delete the next character after this numbered character. This will get them the proper message. I propose everybody adds three nonsense characters, followed by a space, the the beginning of every message. This should foil their attempts.

For example, instead of typing:
How are you
type:
%y9 How are you

That shoud do it.

[Maniac]

Corelli Omega-9, by using your encryption as I posted in this thread (so not the one Cedayon has used for his en/decoder) I got the following message out of the binary you posted in the general forum:

PAread Googlies message. However, lets see them try to crack our new code. Now we are (almost) uncrackable!!! Bwahahahaha

I saw the first three digits were three, so I deleted those three, the next three and the third bit after that. Did I do something wrong to get "PAread"?

If they delete digits from the beginning of the message for long enough, they should get the first two or three characters of the message right. These will form a coherent set of letters. They can then determine how many letters are right, multiply by 8, and delete the next character after this numbered character.

Am I the only one who doesn't understand this?

[Cedayon]

Re: word wrap, I know it just keeps going and doesn't wrap, which might be a problem if your browser doesn't like really "wide" pages... but as far as selecting it, just double click the line, that should select it, and copy it (ctrl-c on windows).

Re: that extra digit, it's in there as per:
"Finally, add a random digit after the xth digit of the actual translation."

I'm not sure if it's added after the xth digit, or before, but the encrypter and decrypter do both the same, I think.

Re: adding 3 nonsense characters at the beginning, I can have the translator do that

If you guys give me what kind of code you want, I can probably make the translator do it, but I'll let you know if it's too hard... I tried inserting random digits after every x digits, but I couldn't get the decoder to pull the right ones out.

btw, if I change the coder/decoder, I'll leave the older version(s) available via links, so we're not stuck with messages we can't read

[Method]

cedayon, if your translator only works in IE, it's clearly the devil. surely googliegod would not approve of the use of such a horrific browser

[Cedayon]

I've figured out what I need to do to get it to work with netscape, but when I change it I get errors... I'll keep at it, this shouldn't take long.

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Drogue
HongHu has broken our code.

Yeah - they managed to decipher my message saying I was incorrectly using the 'day of the week" protocol

'Cos of impartiality, I (obviously) couldn't warn you

I won't post in code - just read it to ensure no hanky panky is going on (similarly with other factions' codes)

G.