Just cracked the code at the back of "Digital Fortress" By Dan Brown

BrokenArrows

Has anyone else read the book and cracked the code?

Neo#

No but I wanted to and forgot about it. What does it mean????

BrokenArrows

Dont read below if you want to try and crack the code your self:





















When decrypted it says "We Are Watching you".
If you paid attention in the book they taught you how to break these simple codes. If you count the amount of numbers you see there are 16 of them and when you look closely at them they range from 1 to 128.

So as a simple guess you think the code might be hidden in the book. So how do numbers relate to the book. Page numbers and chapter numbers. Well in this case the its the chapter numbers. So i took a guess and took the first letter in each chapter that related to the numbers and wrote them down:
WECGEWHYAAIORTNU
In the book they tell you about the caesar box encryption method. These encryptions are always in multiples of 16. So you split the letters up in the method given:
WECG
EWHY
AA IO
RTNU
And if you read top to bottom it spells out WEAREWATCHINGYOU, WE ARE WATCHING YOU. Easy as pie.

Talliesin

The back of Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon has an actual half-decent cryptographic algorithm, invented by Bruce Scheiner, called Pontifex in the book but otherwise called

Solitaire

but I'm putting that in a spoiler block because

you don't know that the algorithm can be used with playing cards when it's first mentioned in the book

.

Anton17

I can't believe people read dan browns books, it's commuter culture crap.

daithimac

Anton17 wrote:

I can't believe people read dan browns books, it's commuter culture crap.

you must be the only person who has not read them yet :eek: .
funnyist thing is his third book angels and demons is far better than the DV code

nesf

Talliesin wrote:

The back of Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon.

Fantastic book.


Digital Fortress is readable, but painful if you are aufait with cryptography. Same with the Da Vinchi Code. Great if you don't know the subject matter well, but only sub par if you do.

Anton17

I have read the da vinci code, what i meant was i cant believe people continue to read his books. Im not trying to antagonise the legions of dan brown fans, i just think they're really bad.

*Angel*

Anton17 wrote:

I have read the da vinci code, what i meant was i cant believe people continue to read his books. Im not trying to antagonise the legions of dan brown fans, i just think they're really bad.

Yep they really are, I've only read the Da Vinci Code and that's definitely enough.

BrokenArrows

i loved "da vinci code" and "digital fortress". Id say this is because im into crptography, coded puzzels etc. As regards digital fortress if you had no idea of the basics of computing or code breaking you might have been put off by the book as it goes into detail about the topic.

nesf

BrokenArrows wrote:

i loved "da vinci code" and "digital fortress". Id say this is because im into crptography, coded puzzels etc. As regards digital fortress if you had no idea of the basics of computing or code breaking you might have been put off by the book as it goes into detail about the topic.

Eh no, no it doesn't.

It does not go into anything approaching detail on the topic at any point. It's written for people that don't know or understand cryptology, and who won't spot the grievous flaws in the book.

I spent most of the book cringing at some of the stuff he said.

Although tbh it's fiction, and doesn't aspire to being a serious work on the topic so I was probably a little harsh. But if you're reading Dan Brown to expand your knowledge, you need a wake up call.

Most of what he spouts is pseudo-science at best. At best.

He is an enjoyable author with regard to his genre (ie commuter pulp fiction) but he is nothing special. I enjoy his books from a, "I want to turn my brain off and read the equivilant to an action film/generic hollywood blockbuster".

Digital Fortress is to cryptology what Hackers is to internet security. Enjoyable and accessable to the layman but laughed at by anyone who is knowledgeable of the subject matter.

That said, as a work of fiction, Hackers is an enjoyable film. Just like Digital Fortress. It's all these people who think they are intellectuals and know the subject well because they read Dan Brown that really make my mind boggle. Honestly.

That said, pseudo intellectualism seems to be the in thing at the moment, who am I to stand in it's way. It's just the next time someone talks about computers cracking RSA in 5 minutes to me, I'll scream. Then finish my pint and turn politely away.

0utshined

Anton17 wrote:

I can't believe people read dan browns books, it's commuter culture crap.

That as may be but at least it's getting people reading. One of the guys I work with started reading the Da Vinci code after not reading any book since he left school about 8 years ago and now he's reading all the time and really enjoying it.

jmcc

BrokenArrows wrote:

As regards digital fortress if you had no idea of the basics of computing or code breaking you might have been put off by the book

Unfortunately the lack of a clue about computing or cryptography did not put Dan Brown off writing it.

If you are into crypto then get a real book on codebreaking. Harris's "Enigma" is probably a lot more accurate and well written and even explains the operation of the Engima at the back of the book.

Regards...jmcc