French Army C-36: Appendix () ()

Home Page
C-36 Home Page
  • 1. Introduction.
  • 2. Machine operation
  • 3. The pre-war period
  • 4. The start of the war
  • 5. The Vichy period
  • 6. The Allied period
  • 7. The post-war period
  • 8. Conclusion
  • Appendix (This page)
    • My Simulator
    • Rafael's simulator
    • C-36 Inventory
    • C-36 Challenge

WARNING!

This page contains "bulk" information regarding the C-36 cipher machine. Indeed, I think that the information presented on this page is interesting but at the moment I do not have the time to organize it, nor to add comments to this data. I hope to find time in the coming months to add more information and organize what is currently present.

My Simulator

Introduction

To study the C-36 cipher machine, I had to write a simulator for this machine and then cryptanalysis tools. Here is the download link for the simulator and cryptanalysis tools: (link).

Install tools

Suggestion to install the software:

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. Download the software with the curl command: 
        C:\> curl -O http://www.jfbouch.fr/crypto/c36/C-36_software.tar
  3. Unzip: 
        C:\> tar xf C-36_software.tar
  4. Position yourself in the created directory: 
        C:\> cd C-36_software
  5. List the tools, print the manual, ... 
        C:\C-36_software> more README

Rafael's Simulator

Rafael Pascual has created an Excel workbook that simulates the C-36 machine. This one is available on this site with his permission.

The Excel workbook contains two sheets, one with a HAGELIN C-36 emulator and the other with examples for solving messages in depth. The encrypted texts are in English as well as the headers and comments included. As you will see, the Excel sheets are not protected so that users can see that without knowing how to program, they can also decipher the messages of the rotor machines and can learn to do it with a simple Excel sheet.

C-36 Excel workbook

C-36 Inventory

By inspecting the SHD documents, several inventories gave the C-36 machine serial numbers. Here is a first draft of a list which brings together around a hundred machines: link.

C-36 Challenge

My web page which presents C-36 challenges was designed before I knew the particularities of the machine used during the Second World War. Indeed when I studied the SHD archives, I discovered that the C-36 lugs had two overlaps. This choice of designers was dramatic. In fact, this choice made it possible to facilitate German attacks. After the war, these two overlaps disappeared and the machine became less attackable. It is this version that is used in my challenges. Of course the German methods are more complex to implement but it is still possible.

My C-36 Challenge: link.