Cryptographic machine maker U.S. and Germany run secretly Western media reports February 13 at 5:43
Around 1960, a manufacturer of cryptographic machines used for diplomatic public telephones sold to more than 120 countries, including Japan, is actually operated secretly by U.S. and German intelligence agencies, and each country has high confidentiality Western media reported that the information was found to have been decrypted.
This is a report from the leading newspapers in the United States, the Washington Post, and the German public broadcaster, ZDF, on November 11, based on documents obtained independently.
According to the report, the crypto company Swiss, which had been producing cryptographic machines used for diplomatic public telephones, etc., was secretly operated by the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) in the United States and BND (Federal Intelligence Agency) in West Germany at that time. Means that sensitive information was decrypted.
The CIA had a relationship with Crypto since the 1960's, and after acquiring shares with BND around 1970, it got support from a law firm in Liechtenstein to keep its management secret.
It has been sold to more than 120 countries, including Japan, and the deciphered communications include information on the occupation of the US embassy in Iran and information on the Argentine army in the Falkland conflict.
China and the former Soviet Union, on the other hand, questioned the company's connection to the western world and did not buy it.
CIA and BND are unable to comment on the press.
The Germans withdrew in the 1990s, worried that the activity would come to light, but the Americans continued to work until they sold out the company.