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Running key cipher tools (umbra)

Running key cipher tools (umbra)  

  By: DarkFibre on April 29, 2012, 10:50 p.m.

So I've been trying to decode Umbra transmission #24 (which is probably some odd viral marketing campaign based on cults and the apocalypse) and I am stumped. Hints indicate the code is a Vigenere and/or running key. My analysis says running key. The other running keys had a known message beginning/structure, this one doesn't seem to follow the rules.

I know crib dragging is the way you crack running keys and I even wrote a tool to do it for me and score the results. I tested it on a previously cracked running key and it seemed to work, but it doesn't seem to help with this one. I don't know if this means my code sucks or my scoring system sucks or I am just wrong about what kind of cipher this is.

Anyone want to take a crack?

Here are the numbers converted to 1=A…25=Y 0=Z which seems to be their format. Usually the word before 38 is last, past or next.

ROOAIQHHNUIULPUMGDLACZ
PZQZ 38 JQKOOPLMQOHVETPHVHSNLBUDLTHUXBOOBXHGTUAKOLAISYPIMO
KPDTHNISNEOSMNFCGNJWIMCNPCJNXGQAMNQZDEHGEJQMZJJAO
ZIOUUOXXCQIOGDJAIWGORIVJHAVTPOTDSQMUQCQUYCXCFIHMUE
EBHUCIWLSNHOSOAASQESWOGPEGGEQZXMTRLAPEBQFNVATVOKPI
DSRNARTZSWDVTRKXLVZSSUAOSQRLAMYWQMKQDNKYEXHCNLOJ
WMBRFINDNSEZPGQNXHFEQOKBBTQAAAFDJEJMQFYYOFVQVOKVD
XMUQREZHGLOOSIAQZQAAWQUODTXCWCDZJWYUXVRBDJPJOVVZ
UUQWVKTLZIWHMPLLZMXOCPHMRCPBUSDQSKQVHQOGVPPXOKBA
CWWGZDXSNIDEIQZCYLJWUHPBEDKRQMZSUGAPBZYNHUOZYHXBSJ
SPTPPBJEWZGT

Re: Running key cipher tools (umbra)  

  By: be on April 30, 2012, 2:31 a.m.

So I've been trying to decode Umbra transmission #24

Could you send us the link to the original challenge? Is there some more information which was given?

Re: Running key cipher tools (umbra)  

  By: DarkFibre on April 30, 2012, 3:19 a.m.

It's a bunch of mp3s that were anonymously posted online that sound like number stations with bizarre music and audio-encoded images. For whatever reason it became popular.

Here is a link to a google doc that covers pretty much everything https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zar ... AWpvU/edit

There is also an IRC chat http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=umbra

Turns out running keys are a lot harder to solve than a lot sources seem to suggest. They say "just find a word that decrypts valid language." Turns out thousands of words do that, and maybe 20 are correct.


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