Cicada 3301
 | |
| Date | 4 January 2012 - 2014 |
|---|---|
| Description | An elaborate series of puzzles that was published on the internet between 2012-2014 |
Cicada 3301 is an elaborate series of puzzles that have been published on the internet between 2012 and 2014. The puzzles focused heavily on data security, cryptography, and steganography.[1] As of 2019, the origins and purposes of the series of puzzles remained unclear.[2]
Purposes
The purposes of the Cicada puzzles remain, as of 2019, a subject of speculation. One suggestion is that they an elaborate means of recruitment for people with a peculiar intelligence and skill set. This may or not be congureuent with intelligence agencies.[2]
Perpetrators
Who carried out the Cicada puzzles remains, as of 2019, a subject of speculation.[2]
The word "CICADA" appears to be an anagram of a TRIE mapping of the word "GOOGLE", and 3301 could interpreted as a representation of googul. Niels Provos, a suspect, is a Google security engineer who wrote two of the tools used in the puzzle and has a long history of work in steganography.[3][4]
7 g 111 1 1 a 17 o 1111 11 3 c 14 l 1100 100 4 d 5 e 101 1001 11 i GOOGLE -> ACCADI -> CICADA Further, the number 3301 can also be derived as GOOGLE GOOGUL 10^100 10100 10 10 00 XOR 01 11 11 01 3 3 01
References
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20160411104256/http://the-cicada-puzzles.wikia.com/wiki/2014_Recruitment_Puzzle
- ↑ a b c http://www.fastcompany.com/3025785/meet-the-man-who-solved-the-mysterious-cicada-3301-puzzle saved at Archive.org saved at Archive.is
- ↑ https://sumsub.com/cicada3301/chapter2-outguess.html
- ↑ Also mentioned in the talk section of the Wikipedia article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Cicada_3301
