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January 12, 2006
Fialka Excel spreadsheet
The CipherTIgers have kindly provided us with an Excel spreadheet which can be used to explore the Fialka machine. We did take a look and didn't notice any viruses or problems with the spreadsheet, but it does include Macros so we can't give any guarantees or warranty against problems. If you would like to use it you can download from here. Thanks to the CipherTigers!
Posted by Harry at January 12, 2006 03:09 PM
Comments
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Hi Raymond,
It was Excel 2000. There's only one little macro and it doesn't use any new stuff. There's nothing that runs when you open. And none of the functions are new ones either.
Depending on your security level (Tools>Macros>Security ...) you may get a prompt when it loads about whether you want to Enable Macros. Could it be that there is a prompt dialog but it is hidden in some way? Try setting security to low. (Or high if you want to be extra safe - you can still look at the macro in the VB editor.) Then you don't get a prompt.
Otherwise sometimes virus scanners stop things working. You could temporarily turn yours off (but you'd have to trust us of course).
Posted by: ciphertigers at January 25, 2006 10:14 PM
Hello
Which version of excel was the fialka spreadsheet saved as? I have Office 2000 with SP3 on my Windows 98SE PC and it just hangs when I try to open the spreadsheet in excel.
If it was created on a newer version ie 2002/2003 then would it be possible to create another link with it saved in a 97/2000 format so that I and probably many other users could access it. Not everyone can afford to keep up with version changes.
Thank you.
Posted by: Raymond at January 24, 2006 10:54 PM
Sorry Martyn, no it doesn't - read the comments! Our crib was "com" and the message starts "lom" so it didn't work. But if you use just the last part of the cipher text (the repeat of the captain's message) then you get the settings that you can decrypt the whole message with. Or you could edit the macro to use the crib "lom". Then you should be OK.
Posted by: ciphertigers at January 20, 2006 09:08 PM
ummm just ran a full cycle with the programme and it doesnt actually crack the cipher, started the rotors and everything at 0 and ran through all conversations and no match was found!
Posted by: Martyn Compton at January 18, 2006 08:49 AM
Umm ... doesn't crash on my PC (obviously) ... different version of Excel? Don't think we used any new features. What message? Did you try clicking Debug on the message?
To change the cipher text you just copy and paste into cell A6 - without spaces or new lines.
Posted by: CipherTigers at January 14, 2006 12:22 PM
The excel spreadsheet is pretty good, except that pressing search makes it crash :D
Also, it seems like it would be a bit of a mission to change the cipher text :o
[I'm sure that people out there have good ideas about how to improve it! Harry]
Posted by: Frank Hamand at January 12, 2006 07:17 PM
Are the results going to be posted any time soon? :/
[I'm still waiting for two of the winners to get back to me, sorry. I don't know what is holding them up! Harry]
Posted by: Frank Hamand at January 12, 2006 07:14 PM
When are you going to put up the Challenge 8 results?
[I'm still waiting for two of the winners to get back to me, sorry. I don't know what is holding them up! Harry]
Posted by: Ruth at January 12, 2006 07:14 PM
certainly an interesting programme, works like a beast, ran it on my comp at home and cracked in no time flat!!! very well done to the creators
Posted by: martyn compton at January 12, 2006 03:53 PM