Sept. 19, 2024

The Women of NSA: Codemakers and Codebreakers

They cracked the Enigma machine and defeated Nazi Germany. They helped us stay a step ahead of the Soviet Union’s spies. They led cybersecurity modernizations to keep us safe. And today, they’re leading NSA efforts to defend the nation. These are the women of NSA.
Learn from a historian and a mathematician about the storied history of women’s contributions to the NSA mission and national security. From World War II through the Cold War to the present day, women have been critical contributors to NSA’s foreign signals intelligence and cybersecurity missions.
 

Check out the episode wherever you get your podcasts:

Aug. 31, 2024

No Such Puzzle: Bite-sized Sudoku

In honor of #InternationalSudokuDay on September 9, for each #NoSuchPuzzle this month, we give you a bite-sized Sudoku. Find the numbers along the two main diagonals from upper left to lower right followed by lower left to upper right. Can you solve the Sudoku?

Aug. 10, 2024

No Such Puzzle: Tap Codes

The tap code, sometimes called the knock code, is a way to encode text messages on a letter-by-letter basis. It has been used by prisoners to communicate with each other by tapping metal bars inside a cell. For each No Such Puzzle in August, we provide a tap sequence and an indicator for the number of words in the answer and their lengths. Can you solve the code and identify the prison or prisoner of war camp?

July 20, 2024

No Such Puzzle: Red, white, and blue clues

In honor of Independence Day, we give you sentences that contain parts which hint at three two-word phrases. One phrase starts with the word "red," one phrase starts with the word "white," and one phrase starts with the word "blue." We provide the number of letters of each second word. Find the three two-word phrases in each sentence.

April 3, 2024

New NSA Display at BWI Honors SIGINT Support to Warfighters

The early 1950s saw the dedication of two new organizations headquartered less than 10 miles apart: NSA and the Friendship International Airport — now Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). Nearly eight decades later, the partnership between these organizations is expanding in a new way.

Nov. 21, 2023

NSA Breaks Ground on New Joint Cryptologic Center at Colorado Site

The groundbreaking for the new Joint Cryptologic Center (JCC) at NSA/CSS Colorado (NSAC) recently took place on Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, Colorado.

Feb. 14, 2023

Sealed With a Kiss: National Cryptologic Museum Explores Encrypted Love Letters of WWII

 The poignant letter contains a cipher and secret code, and is on display at the National Cryptologic Museum (NCM) until March 31, 2023 as part of its newest exhibit: "Sweetheart Codes."

Sept. 28, 2022

NSA Announces Date of the National Cryptologic Museum Grand Opening

he National Security Agency (NSA) is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the National Cryptologic Museum (NCM) at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 8, 2022. As NSA’s principal gateway to the public, the newly renovated museum will provide a unique opportunity to engage with cryptologic history in fresh and innovative ways - transporting visitors on a journey from the ancient world to present day exploring the dynamic role of cryptology in shaping our history.

June 21, 2021

The Hungarian Code Writers

FORT MEADE, Md. — Most people today are familiar with the Native American Code Talkers of World War II, who used their native languages — often unintelligible to non-members of their tribe — to transmit important tactical communications in the war against Germany and Japan.

March 13, 2020

The Legacy of Women in American Cryptology: Part 2

FORT MEADE, Md. — As NSA continues to celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re pleased to share the second part in our series highlighting influential women in cryptology with five more groundbreaking pioneers in the field.