PROJECT: Manual Enigma Machine
The website features a project about creating a manual version of the Enigma machine, originally inspired by a Pringles Can Enigma Machine. It includes references to resources for building a paper Enigma, a 3D printable version, and the project's current status as of June 2020, which involves completing all 3D parts and testing with ciphertext and plaintext. The next step mentioned is to create additional wheels to explore the complexity of operating the Enigma machine and its vulnerability to attacks. For more details, you can visit the website [here](https://www.technologyx2.com/blog_securitytech/2020/6/12/project-manual-enigma-machine).
The project was orignially inspired by the Pringles Can Enigma Machine (Youtube video above on how it works). I thought this will do a great job on explaining how the input alphabet character gets substituted through the rotor wheels due to the graphical nature.
Paper Enigma: http://wiki.franklinheath.co.uk/index.php/Enigma/Paper_Enigma
You can print the sheet here: https://fhcouk.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/pringlesenigma3a4.pdf
Instruction on how to build it: https://youtu.be/z1ehM1pHrIU
NICERC version of the Paper Enigma: https://nicerc.org/enigma/
A Pringles Can Enigma paired with an Enigma Replica (or Enigma simulators) does a great job in visualizing how the encryption/decryption process take place. While I was trying to make the Pringles Can version a bit more professional, I found a nice 3D version that was both functional and elegant. You can find the 3D files here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3555396
CURRENT STATUS: as of June 2020
Completed all 3D parts in Prusament Galaxy Silver + inner tube in black
Completed assembly and tested with some known ciphertext and plaintext
NEXT STEP
It will be interesting to create a few more wheels to rotate through and experience the difficulty of keeping track of different wheels and aligning it for different message over and over again. This can help understand why Enigma operators took the shortcut making the encrypted messages vulnerable to attacks.
PROJECT VISION & GOALS
VISION
Enigma’s algorithm of encryption and decryption is powerful enough (when properly applied) for even modern day computers to have difficulty cracking the codes. However, this also makes the understanding of the substitution cipher in Enigma Machine very difficult to understand. Through the making and utilization of the simple and manual Enigma Machines, I am hoping to gain deep understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of its algorithms.
GOALS
2020 - Make manual Enigma Machine for hands on demo and visualization.