Summary
- The article tells the story of Tim Jenkin, a former anti-apartheid activist who developed a secure communication system using 8-bit computers and one-time pads.
- Jenkin’s system, known as Operation Vula, allowed leaders of the African National Congress to communicate securely and coordinate efforts against apartheid.
- The ANC credited Operation Vula as a key factor in its victory when apartheid was defeated in 1994.
- After decades, John Graham-Cumming successfully decrypted and open-sourced Jenkin’s original cryptosystem code.