01 What is authentication?

Authentication is the process of proving that you are authorized to participate in operations/information etc.

Example: The radio station KEULE wants to check whether the radio station EREMIT is authorized for the radio circuit:

EREMIT, KEULE here, what is the authentication for YANKEE, come.
KEULE, EREMIT here, authentication is JULIETT CHARLIE UNIFORM LIMA WHISKY KILO.
KEULE here, copy that.

How does the armed forces authenticate?

Authentication is done with the

  • alias
  • Authentication Code
  • Numeral Code

Procedure

  • The radio station selects a letter from its code name which is available in the first column of the authentication table.
    • EREMIT => I
  • A two-digit number is determined from the letter of the code name and the letter to be authenticated using the authentication code.
    • I, Y => 80
  • The letter is encrypted with the numeral code.
    • I => JC or CJ or BD or DB
  • The number is divided into its two digits and each digit is encrypted with the numeral code.
    • 8 => OD or DO or ZG or GZ or JE … UL …
    • 0 => OI or IO or ZI or IZ or JS … WK …
  • The three pairs of letters are transmitted back.
    • JC UL WK

Structure of the tables

Authentication code

  • The header line always consists of the letters V, W, X, Y, Z
  • The left margin column always contains the letters A, D, E, G, H, I, L, N, O, R, S, T, U
  • The table contains 65 randomly selected different numbers from the range 00 .. 99

Numeral Code

  • The alphabet with its 26 letters is randomly distributed on the header line and the left margin column.
  • The content and arrangement of the table remain unchanged.