S-1

In cryptography, the S-1 block cipher was a block cipher posted in source code form on Usenet on 11 August 1995. Although incorrect security markings immediately indicated a hoax, there were several features of the code which suggested it might be leaked source code for the Skipjack encryption algorithm, which was still classified at the time.

However once David Wagner had discovered a severe design flaw, it was generally accepted as being a hoax - but one with an astonishing amount of work behind it. When Skipjack was eventually declassified in 1998, it was indeed found to be totally unlike S-1.

"S-1" also was the United States's government codename for the atomic bomb. Throughout many government papers, Henry Stimson and others within the State Department referred to the bomb as S-1.

External link

 * Original posting on Usenet