Cryptography
The novel has been proclaimed as a 'cryptographer’s bible' due to its cryptology-centered content that also contains key historical moments in the tech-world. The first narrative which focuses on Allied code breakers during the Second World War entails detailed descriptions of ciphers and codes. It involves key historical figures such as Alan Turing who is the mind behind the basis of the modern computer. Therefore, the narrative conveys the technical aspects of cryptography that went into breaking the German secret ciphers in order to win the war. Furthermore, the second narrative set during the internet age in the nineties thus delves into elements of modern cryptography, data security, and general computer technology. The theme is handled in two time periods demonstrating the parallels and progression in the art of cryptography. From the secret codes of communication during warfare to complex coding and hacking of the internet era.
Secrecy
The art of code-breaking during warfare is to ensure that the adversaries are not aware that their ciphers have been decoded. Thus, the narrative focuses on how the Allied intelligence used military strategies to conceal the fact that the ciphers were already broken. They employed tactical-deceptions such as sending aircraft to the German target but attack only after it makes a turnaround. Moreover, the information regarding the decoding of the German Enigma code was kept in secret among a few intelligence operatives. Even after the conclusion of the war, the information was top secret for a while before it was released to the public. Thus, secrecy is a major theme that the reader finds in both narratives. The narrative catering on the internet boom showcases the clandestineness that goes into facilitating information security, data protection, and anonymous banking of digital currency. In the internet age, the effort to ensure top security is a significant endeavor in guaranteeing encrypted communication, data security, and elimination of excess digital footprint.
