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More work on the docs. Added command-line tutorial.
author Brian Neal <bgneal@gmail.com>
date Fri, 05 Jul 2013 14:18:52 -0500
parents 5b335e8af407
children 9341896b93f0
rev   line source
bgneal@51 1 .. m209 documentation master file, created by
bgneal@51 2 sphinx-quickstart on Thu Jul 4 18:12:07 2013.
bgneal@51 3 You can adapt this file completely to your liking, but it should at least
bgneal@51 4 contain the root `toctree` directive.
bgneal@51 5
bgneal@51 6 Welcome to m209's documentation!
bgneal@51 7 ================================
bgneal@51 8
bgneal@52 9 :Author: Brian Neal <bgneal@gmail.com>
bgneal@52 10 :Version: |release|
bgneal@52 11 :Date: |today|
bgneal@52 12 :Home Page: https://bitbucket.org/bgneal/m209/
bgneal@52 13 :License: MIT License (see LICENSE.txt)
bgneal@52 14 :Documentation: http://m209.readthedocs.org/
bgneal@52 15 :Support: https://bitbucket.org/bgneal/m209/issues
bgneal@52 16
bgneal@52 17 Introduction
bgneal@52 18 ------------
bgneal@52 19
bgneal@52 20 ``m209`` is a complete `M-209`_ simulation library and command-line application
bgneal@52 21 written in Python 3. ``m209`` is historically accurate, meaning that it can
bgneal@52 22 exchange messages with an actual M-209 cipher machine.
bgneal@52 23
bgneal@52 24 It is hoped that this library will be useful to M-209 enthusiasts, historians,
bgneal@52 25 and students interested in cryptography.
bgneal@52 26
bgneal@52 27 ``m209`` strives to be Pythonic, easy to use, and comes with both unit tests
bgneal@52 28 and documentation. ``m209`` is a library for building applications for
bgneal@52 29 encrypting and decrypting M-209 messages. ``m209`` also ships with a simple
bgneal@52 30 command-line application that can encrypt & decrypt messages for scripting and
bgneal@52 31 experimentation.
bgneal@52 32
bgneal@54 33 Command-line Tutorial
bgneal@54 34 ---------------------
bgneal@52 35
bgneal@54 36 In order for two parties to exchange M-209 messages, each must set up their
bgneal@54 37 device in exactly the same manner. This was accomplished by publishing key
bgneal@54 38 lists in code books which were distributed to end users. A code book instructed
bgneal@54 39 users on what key list to use on any given day in a given month. Each key list
bgneal@54 40 detailed the numerous wheel pin and lug settings that needed to be made for
bgneal@54 41 a given day. Because there are so many settings, the ``m209`` utility allows
bgneal@54 42 users to store key lists in a key file for convenience. So let us first create
bgneal@54 43 a key file that hold 30 key lists::
bgneal@54 44
bgneal@54 45 $ m209 keygen -n 30
bgneal@54 46
bgneal@54 47 This command randomly creates 30 key lists and stores them in a file called
bgneal@54 48 ``m209keys.cfg`` by default. We did not specify a starting key list indicator, so
bgneal@54 49 30 random ones were chosen. The first 13 lines of our new key file are
bgneal@54 50 displayed below::
bgneal@54 51
bgneal@54 52 $ head -n 13 m209keys.cfg
bgneal@54 53 [AB]
bgneal@54 54 lugs = 0-4*4 0-5*6 1-0*10 2-0*2 3-0 3-5*2 3-6 4-5
bgneal@54 55 wheel1 = BDFGIKRSTUWX
bgneal@54 56 wheel2 = BCEJKLORSUX
bgneal@54 57 wheel3 = CFHJKLMQSTU
bgneal@54 58 wheel4 = ABCDHIJMOPRTU
bgneal@54 59 wheel5 = BCEFINPS
bgneal@54 60 wheel6 = ACDEHJN
bgneal@54 61 check = GZWUU SFYQN NFAKK FXSEN FAFMF B
bgneal@54 62
bgneal@54 63 [AK]
bgneal@54 64 lugs = 0-4*2 0-5*9 0-6 1-0*3 1-2 1-5 1-6*2 3-0*8
bgneal@54 65 wheel1 = ABDEFHIJMQSUXZ
bgneal@54 66
bgneal@54 67 .. NOTE::
bgneal@54 68 If you are following along at home, you'll probably get different
bgneal@54 69 output than what is shown here. This is because the key lists are generated
bgneal@54 70 at random, and it is very unlikely that your key list matches mine!
bgneal@54 71
bgneal@54 72 Here we can see that the first key list in our file has the indicator ``AB``
bgneal@54 73 (shown in square brackets), and we can see the settings for the lugs and six
bgneal@54 74 wheels. The notation is explained later. Also included is a so-called check
bgneal@54 75 string. Because there are so many settings, it is quite error-prone to set up
bgneal@54 76 an M-209. This check string allows the operator to verify their work. After
bgneal@54 77 configuring the M-209 with the given settings, the operator can set the six key
bgneal@54 78 wheels to ``AAAAAA``, then encipher the letter ``A`` 26 times. If the message
bgneal@54 79 that appears on the paper tape matches the check string, the operator knows the
bgneal@54 80 machine is set up correctly for the day.
bgneal@54 81
bgneal@54 82 After the key list ``AB``, the key list ``AK`` starts, and so on for all 30 key
bgneal@54 83 lists.
bgneal@54 84
bgneal@54 85 Now that we have created a key file, we can encrypt our first message. The
bgneal@54 86 ``m209`` utility has many options to let you have fine control over the various
bgneal@54 87 encryption parameters. These are explained in detail later. If you omit these
bgneal@54 88 parameters they are simply chosen at random. Here is the simplest example of
bgneal@54 89 encryping a message::
bgneal@54 90
bgneal@54 91 $ m209 encrypt -t "THE PIZZA HAS ARRIVED STOP NO SIGN OF ENEMY FORCES STOP"
bgneal@54 92 IIPDU FHLMB LASGD KTLDO OSRMZ PWGEB HYMCB IKSPT IUEPF FUHEO NQTWI VTDPC GSPQX IIPDU FHLMB
bgneal@54 93
bgneal@54 94 What just happened here? Since we did not specify a key file, the default
bgneal@54 95 ``m209keys.cfg`` was used. Since we did not specify a key list indicator, one
bgneal@54 96 was chosen randomly from the key file. Other encryption parameters, explained
bgneal@54 97 later, were also randomly chosen. Next, the message given on the command-line
bgneal@54 98 was encrypted using the standard US Army procedure described in the references.
bgneal@54 99 This resulted in the encrypted message, which is displayed in 5-letter groups.
bgneal@54 100 Notice that the first and last 2 groups are identical. These are special
bgneal@54 101 indicators that tell the receiver how to decrypt the message. In particular
bgneal@54 102 note that the last 2 letters in the second and last groups are ``MB``. This is
bgneal@54 103 the key list indicator and tells the receiver what key list was used. The
bgneal@54 104 remaining groups in the middle make up the encrypted message.
bgneal@54 105
bgneal@54 106 Astute M-209 enthusiasts will note that our message included spaces. Actual
bgneal@54 107 M-209 units only allow the input of the letters ``A`` through ``Z``. Whenever
bgneal@54 108 a space was needed, the operator inserted the letter ``Z``. The ``m209``
bgneal@54 109 utility automatically performs this substitution for convenience.
bgneal@54 110
bgneal@54 111 Let's suppose our message was then sent to our recipient, either by courier,
bgneal@54 112 Morse code over radio, or in the modern age, email or even Twitter. In order
bgneal@54 113 for our receiver to decrypt our message they must also have the identical key
bgneal@54 114 list named ``MB``. We will assume for now that our key file, ``m209keys.cfg``
bgneal@54 115 was sent to our receiver earlier in some secure manner. The receiver then
bgneal@54 116 issues this command::
bgneal@54 117
bgneal@54 118 $ m209 decrypt -t "IIPDU FHLMB LASGD KTLDO OSRMZ PWGEB HYMCB IKSPT IUEPF FUHEO NQTWI VTDPC GSPQX IIPDU FHLMB"
bgneal@54 119 THE PI A HAS ARRIVED STOP NO SIGN OF ENEMY FORCES STOP
bgneal@54 120
bgneal@54 121 Here again, since no key file was explicitly specified, the file
bgneal@54 122 ``m209keys.cfg`` was used. The file was searched for the key list ``MB``. Then
bgneal@54 123 the standard Army procedure was followed, making use of the indicator groups to
bgneal@54 124 decrypt the message, which is displayed as output.
bgneal@54 125
bgneal@54 126 But wait, what happened to our Pizza? Why are the ``Z``'s missing? This is how
bgneal@54 127 an actual M-209 operates. Recall that an operator must substitute a letter
bgneal@54 128 ``Z`` whenever a space is needed. The M-209 helpfully replaces the letter ``Z``
bgneal@54 129 in the decrypt output with a space as an aid to the operator. As a side effect,
bgneal@54 130 legitimate uses of the letter ``Z`` are blanked out. But usually it is clear
bgneal@54 131 from context what has happened, and the operator has to put them back into the
bgneal@54 132 message before passing it up the chain of command.
bgneal@54 133
bgneal@54 134 It may also happen that the original message did not fit perfectly into an even
bgneal@54 135 number of 5-letter groups. In that case the encrypted message would be padded
bgneal@54 136 with ``X`` characters according to procedure. Upon decrypt, these ``X``
bgneal@54 137 characters would appear as garbage characters on the end of the message. The
bgneal@54 138 receiving operator would simply ignore these letters. Note that our message did
bgneal@54 139 not exhibit this behavior.
bgneal@54 140
bgneal@54 141 This is all you need to know to start creating your own M-209 messages! For
bgneal@54 142 more details, consult the command-line ``m209`` documentation.
bgneal@54 143
bgneal@54 144 Library Tutorial
bgneal@54 145 ----------------
bgneal@52 146
bgneal@52 147 Requirements
bgneal@52 148 ------------
bgneal@52 149
bgneal@52 150 ``m209`` is written in Python_, specifically Python 3.3. It has no other
bgneal@52 151 requirements or dependencies.
bgneal@52 152
bgneal@52 153 Installation
bgneal@52 154 ------------
bgneal@52 155
bgneal@52 156 ``m209`` is available on the `Python Package Index`_ (PyPI). You can install it
bgneal@52 157 using pip_::
bgneal@52 158
bgneal@52 159 $ pip install m209 # install
bgneal@52 160 $ pip install --upgrade m209 # upgrade
bgneal@52 161
bgneal@52 162 You may also download a tarball or .zip file of the latest code using the "get
bgneal@52 163 source" link on the `m209 Bitbucket page`_. Alternatively if you use
bgneal@52 164 Mercurial_, you can clone the repository with the following command::
bgneal@52 165
bgneal@52 166 $ hg clone https://bitbucket.org/bgneal/m209
bgneal@52 167
bgneal@52 168 If you did not use pip, you can install with this command::
bgneal@52 169
bgneal@52 170 $ python setup.py install
bgneal@52 171
bgneal@52 172
bgneal@52 173 Support & Source
bgneal@52 174 ----------------
bgneal@52 175
bgneal@52 176 All support takes place at the `m209 Bitbucket page`_. Please enter any
bgneal@52 177 feature requests or bugs into the `issue tracker`_.
bgneal@52 178
bgneal@52 179 Next Steps
bgneal@52 180 ----------
bgneal@52 181
bgneal@51 182 Contents:
bgneal@51 183
bgneal@51 184 .. toctree::
bgneal@51 185 :maxdepth: 2
bgneal@51 186
bgneal@51 187
bgneal@51 188
bgneal@51 189 Indices and tables
bgneal@51 190 ==================
bgneal@51 191
bgneal@51 192 * :ref:`genindex`
bgneal@51 193 * :ref:`modindex`
bgneal@51 194 * :ref:`search`
bgneal@51 195
bgneal@52 196
bgneal@52 197 .. _M-209: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-209
bgneal@52 198 .. _Python: http://www.python.org
bgneal@52 199 .. _Python Package Index: http://pypi.python.org/pypi/m209/
bgneal@52 200 .. _m209 Bitbucket page: https://bitbucket.org/bgneal/m209
bgneal@52 201 .. _pip: http://www.pip-installer.org
bgneal@52 202 .. _Mercurial: http://mercurial.selenic.com/
bgneal@52 203 .. _issue tracker: https://bitbucket.org/bgneal/m209/issues