Wartime code-cracker in fresh battle

A CODE-CRACKING computer developed during the Second World War to intercept Nazi messages was yesterday locked in a battle with modern technology to decipher a message from the Continent.

Colossus, the world’s first programmable digital computer, began the task of unravelling an encoded message transmitted from Germany yesterday.

At the same time, amateur code breakers using more up-to-date computer equipment are trying to crack the encrypted text.

The exercise marks the launch of the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, where Colossus was created in the 1940s. Over the past 14 years, experts have rebuilt a Colossus Mark II computer using stolen design plans and information from those involved in the creation of the original.

The machines, which began operating in 1944, were so fast a mid-range modern PC programmed today to perform a similar code-breaking task would take as long as Colossus.

To put it to the test, a message was sent from Paderborn in Germany after having been encoded by a 1938 Lorenz cipher machine, the same the Nazis used in the war.

The rebuilt machine is endeavouring to decipher the code alongside amateur code breakers using modern equipment.

The public have also been invited to join the challenge to intercept the transmission and try to beat Colossus.