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Revision as of 08:01, 6 November 2008 editජපස (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers60,473 edits →Cryptanalysis: removing self-reference... keeping the GIGNEWS interview as the only really independent source for this claim.← Previous edit Revision as of 08:03, 6 November 2008 edit undoජපස (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers60,473 edits →Cryptanalysis: fix some things... a spelling error, excessive sections and an incorrect description of a periodical.Next edit →
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== Cryptanalysis == == Cryptanalysis ==


In interviews with GIGnews.com, Duninshe has said that in the year 2000 she cracked the ] v3.0 Code, an amateur cryptographic puzzle created by a ].<ref name="GIGnews">{{cite web |url=http://www.gignews.com/goddess/dunin.htm |title=A Chat with Elonka Dunin |work=GIGnews.com |first=Melanie |last=Cambron |month=May |year=2002 |accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> In 2002, she spoke at ] headquarters about ] and ].<ref name="Wired">{{cite news |url=http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2005/01/66334 |title=Solving the Enigma of Kryptos |work=] |first=Kim |last=Zetter |date=2005-01-21 |accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> During this visit she began a closer study of the CIA's '']'' sculpture. She began to build a website compiling all of the works of the ''Kryptos'' sculptor, ].<ref name="ppg050527">{{cite news |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05147/511693.stm |title=CIA sculpture 'kryptos' draws mystery lovers |work=] ''via '' ] |first=John D |last=McKinnon |date=2005-05-27 |accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> In interviews with GIGnews.com, Dunin said that in the year 2000 she cracked the ] v3.0 Code, an amateur cryptographic puzzle created by a ].<ref name="GIGnews">{{cite web |url=http://www.gignews.com/goddess/dunin.htm |title=A Chat with Elonka Dunin |work=GIGnews.com |first=Melanie |last=Cambron |month=May |year=2002 |accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> In 2002, she spoke at ] headquarters about ] and ].<ref name="Wired">{{cite news |url=http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2005/01/66334 |title=Solving the Enigma of Kryptos |work=] |first=Kim |last=Zetter |date=2005-01-21 |accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> During this visit she began a closer study of the CIA's '']'' sculpture. She began to build a website compiling all of the works of the ''Kryptos'' sculptor, ].<ref name="ppg050527">{{cite news |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05147/511693.stm |title=CIA sculpture 'kryptos' draws mystery lovers |work=] ''via '' ] |first=John D |last=McKinnon |date=2005-05-27 |accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>


=== Cyrillic Projector ===
] code, 2006]] ] code, 2006]]
According to ], in 2003 Dunin was "leading the charge" to decode a ''Kryptos'' sister sculpture, the '']''.<ref name="Post-Dispatch">{{cite news |url=http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/92251953766AB8FE86256DBA00139A45?OpenDocument |title=Woman sets sights on code on CIA sculpture |work=] |first=Eli |last=Kintisch |date=2003-10-08 |archiveurl=http://www.elonka.com/mirrors/STL/sights.html |archivedate=2004-03-11}}</ref> An article in the journal ] reported that Mike Bales, a computer programmer in Michigan and Frank Corr, a computer programmer in North Carolina had decrypted the ] in September 2003, and that Dunin performed the final translation of the ] from Russian — a language that neither Bales or Corr knew.<ref name="Science">{{cite journal |url=http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2003/1007/3 |title=Cryptic Sculpture Cracked |journal=] |first=Charles |last=Seife |date=October 7, 2003 |archiveurl=http://elonka.com/kryptos/mirrors/ScienceMagazine.html |archivedate=2004-03-11}}</ref> The article in the ] details that Bales was "on Dunin's team".<ref name="Post-Dispatch"/> According to ], in 2003 Dunin was "leading the charge" to decode a ''Kryptos'' sister sculpture, the '']''.<ref name="Post-Dispatch">{{cite news |url=http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/92251953766AB8FE86256DBA00139A45?OpenDocument |title=Woman sets sights on code on CIA sculpture |work=] |first=Eli |last=Kintisch |date=2003-10-08 |archiveurl=http://www.elonka.com/mirrors/STL/sights.html |archivedate=2004-03-11}}</ref> An article in the periodical ] reported that Mike Bales, a computer programmer in Michigan and Frank Corr, a computer programmer in North Carolina had decrypted the ] in September 2003, and that Dunin performed the final translation of the ] from Russian — a language that neither Bales or Corr knew.<ref name="Science">{{cite journal |url=http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2003/1007/3 |title=Cryptic Sculpture Cracked |journal=] |first=Charles |last=Seife |date=October 7, 2003 |archiveurl=http://elonka.com/kryptos/mirrors/ScienceMagazine.html |archivedate=2004-03-11}}</ref> The article in the ] details that Bales was "on Dunin's team".<ref name="Post-Dispatch"/>

=== Kryptos ===


In May 2003, Dunin, along with the late ]{{Fact|date=November 2008}}, co-founded{{Fact|date=November 2008}} the Yahoo Group ''Kryptos'' which is a focal point for online ''Kryptos'' activity.<ref>{{cite news|title=Typo Confounds Kryptos Sleuths|author=Kim Zetter|date=]|work=]|publisher=CondéNet, Inc.|url=http://wired.com./science/discoveries/news/2006/04/70701|}}</ref> In January 2005, an article, "Solving the Enigma of ''Kryptos''" appeared in '']'' about ''Kryptos'',<ref name="Wired" /> and more media attention followed, including segments by ], ], UK's '']'', France's '']'', and others.{{Fact|date=November 2008}} In May 2003, Dunin, along with the late ]{{Fact|date=November 2008}}, co-founded{{Fact|date=November 2008}} the Yahoo Group ''Kryptos'' which is a focal point for online ''Kryptos'' activity.<ref>{{cite news|title=Typo Confounds Kryptos Sleuths|author=Kim Zetter|date=]|work=]|publisher=CondéNet, Inc.|url=http://wired.com./science/discoveries/news/2006/04/70701|}}</ref> In January 2005, an article, "Solving the Enigma of ''Kryptos''" appeared in '']'' about ''Kryptos'',<ref name="Wired" /> and more media attention followed, including segments by ], ], UK's '']'', France's '']'', and others.{{Fact|date=November 2008}}


⚫ In 2006, Dunin published a book of 600 exercises in amateur ], ''The Mammoth Book of Secret Code Puzzles''. An abridged version (400 excercises) was simultaneously published in the UK. In July 2007 she appeared on the ] program '']'', as an expert on ''Kryptos''.<ref name="">{{cite video |url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/video/3411/q03-220.html |title=Kryptos |publisher=] |date2=2007-07-24}}</ref>
=== Publications ===

⚫ In 2006, Dunin published a book of 600 exercises in ], ''The Mammoth Book of Secret Code Puzzles''. An abridged version (400 excercises) was simultaneously published in the UK. In July 2007 she appeared on the ] program '']'', as an expert on ''Kryptos''.<ref name="">{{cite video |url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/video/3411/q03-220.html |title=Kryptos |publisher=] |date2=2007-07-24}}</ref>


==Public speaking== ==Public speaking==

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Elonka Dunin
Elonka Dunin, 2006
Born (1958-12-29) December 29, 1958 (age 66)
Santa Monica, California
Occupation(s)Video game developer, writer
Websitewww.elonka.com

Elonka Dunin (Template:PronEng); born December 29, 1958 is an executive and game developer at Simutronics Corp. in St. Louis, Missouri. She is one of the founders of the International Game Developers Association's Online Games group, and was editor in chief on IGDA State of the Industry white papers.

Dunin has published a book of exercises on classical cryptography in two editions, and she maintains a web-site on the Kryptos sculptural cryptogram, located at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Although she did not complete a college degree, opting for a career in the U.S Air Force instead, she is considered a cryptanalyst in several media reports on the Kryptos sculpture. She has given several lectures on the topic, and according to PBS NOVA scienceNOW she is "generally considered the leading Kryptos expert in the world", although she practices cryptography as an amateur.

Biography

Dunin graduated in 1976 from University High School. She was enrolled as an undergraduate at UCLA, majoring in astronomy, for roughly one year, after which she joined the United States Air Force, working as an avionics technician at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom and Beale Air Force Base in California. After the USAF, she traveled the world working at a variety of jobs, ranging from a computer programmer in Denver, Colorado to an English teacher in Rio de Janeiro.

In the 1980s, she became involved with the growing Bulletin board system culture. This interest overlapped into the early multiplayer games, such as British Legends on CompuServe and Simutronics' GemStone II on GEnie.

Online games

In 1990, Dunin moved to St. Louis and began working for the online game company Simutronics. Simutronics launched its own website, play.net, in 1997 with Dunin as Supervisor of Online Games. In 1999, she held the position of general manager of Simutronics' on-line community. Dunin was the product manager for GemStone III, executive producer for the Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess-based multiplayer game Alliance of Heroes, and worked on the development of most of Simutronics' other products, including CyberStrike, Modus Operandi, DragonRealms and the upcoming Hero's Journey. She currently is the "General Manager of Online Community". She is a founding member of the International Game Developers Association's Online Games SIG and senior editor of two of their annual White Papers on various aspects of the online game industry: "Web and Downloadable Games" and "Persistent Worlds".

Cryptanalysis

In interviews with GIGnews.com, Dunin said that in the year 2000 she cracked the PhreakNIC v3.0 Code, an amateur cryptographic puzzle created by a hacker group. In 2002, she spoke at CIA headquarters about steganography and Al-Qaeda. During this visit she began a closer study of the CIA's Kryptos sculpture. She began to build a website compiling all of the works of the Kryptos sculptor, James Sanborn.

File:Elonka Dunin 2006.jpg
Elonka Dunin, illuminated by part of the Cyrillic Projector code, 2006

According to St. Louis Post-Dispatch, in 2003 Dunin was "leading the charge" to decode a Kryptos sister sculpture, the Cyrillic Projector. An article in the periodical Science Now reported that Mike Bales, a computer programmer in Michigan and Frank Corr, a computer programmer in North Carolina had decrypted the ciphertext in September 2003, and that Dunin performed the final translation of the plaintext from Russian — a language that neither Bales or Corr knew. The article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details that Bales was "on Dunin's team".

In May 2003, Dunin, along with the late Gary Warzin, co-founded the Yahoo Group Kryptos which is a focal point for online Kryptos activity. In January 2005, an article, "Solving the Enigma of Kryptos" appeared in Wired about Kryptos, and more media attention followed, including segments by CNN, NPR, UK's The Guardian, France's Libération, and others.

In 2006, Dunin published a book of 600 exercises in amateur cryptanalysis, The Mammoth Book of Secret Code Puzzles. An abridged version (400 excercises) was simultaneously published in the UK. In July 2007 she appeared on the PBS program NOVA scienceNOW, as an expert on Kryptos.

Public speaking

Along with speaking to government agencies such as the FBI, CIA, and NSA, Dunin is a speaker on cryptography and online games at conferences such as Dragon*Con, PhreakNIC, Def Con, Shmoocon, Notacon, and the International Game Developers Conference. She has been invited to be a co-host on the Binary Revolution webcast three times.

Books

  • Dunin, Elonka (April 2006). The Mammoth Book of Secret Codes and Cryptograms. New York, United States: Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0-7867-1726-2.
  • (abridged edition) Dunin, Elonka (April 2006). The Mammoth Book of Secret Code Puzzles. London, United Kingdom: Constable & Robinson. ISBN 1-84529-325-8.

Co-authored chapters in white papers

  • IGDA Online Games White Paper, 2002. PDF
  • IGDA Online Games White Paper, 2003. PDF
  • IGDA Web & Downloadable Games White Paper, 2004. PDF
  • IGDA Persistent Worlds White Paper, 2004. PDF

References

  1. Borger, Julian (2005-06-11). "Interest grows in solving cryptic CIA puzzle after link to Da Vinci Code". The Guardian. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  2. ^ Kenneth Chang (2006-04-22). "A Break for Code Breakers on a C.I.A. Mystery". New York Times. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  3. "SIG Contributors". IGDA.org. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  4. "Elonka does not have a college degree, but has a wide breadth of practical experience to draw upon. After dropping out of college, she spent six years in the Air Force as an Avionics Instruments System Specialist."
  5. "Education: some college" Elonka Dunin's myspace profile
  6. "London Lawyers Turn Into Code-Breakers". Washington Post. 2006-04-27.
  7. "Enigmatic CIA Puzzle 'Kryptos' May Be Flawed" NPR All Things Considered, April 21, 2006
  8. NSA Cryptologic History Symposium in 2005
  9. Defcon 12: Kryptos and the Cracking of the Cyrillic Projector Cipher
  10. "Kryptos". NOVA scienceNOW. July 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-13.
  11. "Cyrillic Riddle Solved". Science magazine. 2003-10-10.
  12. [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5356012}}
  13. "Elonka Dunin's Bio". SimuNova at AOL.com. 2000-07-23. Archived from the original on 2002-02-20. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  14. "Games People Play". St. Charles Journal. 1994-01-09.
  15. Pendleton, Jennifer (1997-08-18). "Trends: Nice Work If You Can Master It". Los Angeles Times. p. 6.
  16. Austin, Nancy K (October 19, 1999). "Pure Internet play. Simutronics' online games". Inc. 21 (15): p. 75. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  17. Cambron, Melanie (2002). "A Chat with Elonka Dunin". GIGnews.com. Retrieved 2008-10-31. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  18. ^ Zetter, Kim (2005-01-21). "Solving the Enigma of Kryptos". Wired.com. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  19. McKinnon, John D (2005-05-27). "CIA sculpture 'kryptos' draws mystery lovers". The Wall Street Journal via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2008-10-31. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  20. ^ Kintisch, Eli (2003-10-08). "Woman sets sights on code on CIA sculpture". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2004-03-11.
  21. Seife, Charles (October 7, 2003). "Cryptic Sculpture Cracked". Science Now. Archived from the original on 2004-03-11.
  22. Kim Zetter (2006-04-20). "Typo Confounds Kryptos Sleuths". Wired News. CondéNet, Inc. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  23. Kryptos. NOVA scienceNOW. {{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter |date2= ignored (help)
  24. "Dragon*Con Biography: Elonka Dunin". Dragoncon.org. 2000. Archived from the original on 2001-03-08.
  25. "Game Developers Conference 2008 Speakers: Elonka Dunin". CMPEvents.com. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  26. Episodes #78, #99 and #156, Binary Revolution, interviews by David Blake.

External links

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