Google Translate Helped Crack 'Unbreakable Code'

Bob Franks

Past District Deputy Grand Lecturer
The Copiale cipher is an 105-page coded document found in an East German archive, and dated to 1866 - but the code used to shield its mysteries has remained unbroken, until now.

The international team that cracked the cipher this year found that automated translation techniques - familiar to most of us from the often-wonky Google Translate - can help to crack encrypted documents by 'guessing' their contents.

It works even when they use a cipher as baffling as the Copiale's 90 symbols, and the original language is unknown.

The team, led by computer scientist Kevin Knight of USC, aims to use their technique on other encrypted texts.

Their work also unearthed a fascinating document that may shed light on the secret societies of the nineteenth century. The Copiale Cipher proved to be about induction into a secret society - speaking of 'secret teachings for apprentices' and a bizarre initiation rite for disciples.

The team has only translated 16 pages so far.

It has been hailed by cryptography fans as a significant achievement.


Read more: How Google Translate helped crack an 'unbreakable' code from 1866 | Mail Online

I was wondering if this is a Masonic cypher...

S&F
 

jason

Seanchaí
Staff member
I thought they had cracked some of it earlier this year. I know some say it is Masonic of nature, referencing Master & candidate. However, someone posted something of the ritual work and it was nothing like we do. At least not Blue Lodge. But they could have been posting from something else. Never saw anything that has been officially translated.
 

FF Sparky

Member
ritual yes, Masonic? I dont think so.

I may have my timeframes off, but at one point in Germany it was not good to be a Mason, they were killed also.
 
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