# Cyber Command Seal Secret Code **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 8, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyber-command-seal-secret-code/545974 "2010-07-08T16:31:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyber-command-seal-secret-code/545974/1 "2010-07-08T16:31:43Z")
> [@](#): > > The newly formed U.S. Cyber Command is supposed to centralize and focus the military’s ability to wage war over the Internet, but so far it’s basically famous for brainteasers. The command’s fancy logo contains a super-secret code in its inner gold ring: 9ec4c12949a4f31474f299058ce2b22a. Though some people noticed the code late last month, Wired’s Threat Level Danger Room blog picked it up Wednesday morning and announced a contest, with a free T-shirt (or a ticket to the International Spy Museum) going to the first reader to crack the code. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog\_upshot/20100707/od\_yblog\_upshot/the-secret-code-in-u-s-cyber-commands-logo](http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100707/od_yblog_upshot/the-secret-code-in-u-s-cyber-commands-logo) Link to Wired’s Challenge: [http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/07/solve-the-mystery-code-in-cyber-commands-logo/](http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/07/solve-the-mystery-code-in-cyber-commands-logo/) Here’s their mission: [http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread591342/pg1](http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread591342/pg1) This looks as if it might be right up the SDMB’s alley! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyber-command-seal-secret-code/545974/2 "2010-07-08T16:41:41Z")
I moved yesterday’s thread on this to the Game Room, so I’ll move this one thither as well. I’ll leave it to the mods there to merge or whatever. **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyber-command-seal-secret-code/545974/3 "2010-07-08T17:35:27Z")
it’s the md5 hash of their mission statement ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyber-command-seal-secret-code/545974/4 "2010-07-08T18:10:12Z")
> [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > it’s the md5 hash of their mission statement The article mentions that they tried it and it wasn’t a match. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyber-command-seal-secret-code/545974/5 "2010-07-08T18:26:53Z")
[Earlier thread on same topic](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=569944). ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyber-command-seal-secret-code/545974/6 "2010-07-08T18:42:19Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > The article mentions that they tried it and it wasn’t a match. Go here: [Crack the Code In US Cyber Command's Logo - Slashdot](http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/07/08/126228/Crack-the-Code-In-US-Cyber-Commands-Logo?from=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2Fslashdot+%28Slashdot%29&utm_content=Google+Reader) Search for message: #32838952 In short, this is the command and output to reproduce it: ```auto echo -n "USCYBERCOM plans, coordinates, integrates, synchronizes and conducts activities to: direct the operations and defense of specified Department of Defense information networks and; prepare to, and when directed, conduct full spectrum military cyberspace operations in order to enable actions in all domains, ensure US/Allied freedom of action in cyberspace and deny the same to our adversaries." | md5sum 9ec4c12949a4f31474f299058ce2b22a - ``` ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyber-command-seal-secret-code/545974/7 "2010-07-08T19:15:16Z")
Okay - how the hell does that work? There doesn’t appear to be nearly enough information to expand that code out into their mission statement. Can someone translate the translation into moronspeak? ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyber-command-seal-secret-code/545974/8 "2010-07-08T21:07:30Z")
A hash is not an encoded message, more like a way of verifying a message. The idea is that you can easily create a shorter hash from a long message, but it’s nearly impossible to create a different but plausible message that gives the same hash. So for instance if someone wants to distribute a big file but can only send small messages through a secure channel, they can post the file to peer-to-peer services or whatever, and then give out the hash through a secure channel. Anyone can the file from an untrusted source, and compare the hash of that file to the correct hash from the secure channel. If they’re the same, the file is untampered with. Another use is password files on servers – when someone logs in the server takes the password, creates the hash and compares it to the file. But if someone steals the file, they still don’t know the passwords.