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Gretag,
or Gretacoder Data Systems,
or simply Gretacoder,
was a manufacturer of cryptographic equipment, based in Regensdorf
near Zürich (Switzerland).
It was founded by Dr. Edgar Gretener who was not only a direct competitor
of Boris Hagelin, but also worked with him
on a number of occasions. The company, who also made the encryption devices
for international SWIFT bank transactions, had a world-wide customer base
and had once over 2500 people on its payroll.
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Over the years, Gretag produced a range of
commercial, industrial and military cipher machines.
The company changed hands several times and was eventually split
up into different companies. In 2004, the crypto-part was dissolved
when it was owned by SafeNet.
By that time however, most of its patents had already been transferred to
Omnisec,
who are still in business today.
Gretag's cipher machines are known under different names and numbers.
Generally speaking, the numbering was never changed, but different
prefixes and brand names were used.
The name Gretacoder was sometimes abbreviated as 'GC'
or 'TC' (for: Tele-Crypto, or Teleprinter Crypto).
E.g.: the military 812 telex encryption unit
is known as Gretacoder 812,
GC-812 and
TC-812.
 More about Gretag (history)
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The following Gretag cipher machines are featured on this website:
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Telekrypto-Gerät 35 (TKG) was an online cipher machine
for Gretag's proprietary 14-bit teleprinters, such as
the ETK-47.
It was a joint development of Dr. Edgar Gretener (Gretag)
and competitor Boris Hagelin and used Hagelin's pin-wheel
system.
More information
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The TC-53 was the first electro-mechanical cipher machine
manufactured by Gretag for the Swiss Army. It was based on an earlier
design of Dr. Edgar Gretener and competitor Boris Hagelin.
The machine had 12 cipher wheels and used a novel 14-bit technique, rather
than the usual 5-bits for transmission of the data.
More information
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The Gretacoder 101, or GC-101, was a modular speech scrambler for telephone
and radio links, introduced in 1975. It uses two-dimensional voice
scrambling and was based on the earlier SC-101 from 1973.
The device is suitable for half-duplex only, which is controlled by
a Push-To-Talk (PTT) switch in the handset.
More information
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The Gretacoder 103, or GC-103, was a voice scrambler for
analogue telephone lines. It is inserted between the phone
and the line.
It uses time-domain as well as frequency-domain
scrambling and was manufactuered as an OEM product by Telsy in Italy.
It is identical to the Telsy TDS-2004.
More information
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The Gretacoder 104, or GC-104, was a voice scrambler for
mobile use.
It uses time-domain as well as frequency-domain
scrambling and was manufactuered as an OEM product by Telsy in Italy.
It is identical to the Telsy TDS-2004M.
More information
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The Gretacoder 805 was a small portable electronic cipher machine
that was fitted inside a standard Samsonite briefcase, together with
a small thermal printer.
More information
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As the Gretacoder 805 had a highly modular design,
a variety of different configurations were possible.
For the office, a large desktop version could be created,
complete with a papertape reader/puncher ans shown here.
More information
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Gretacoder 524 was a line encryptor for synchronous (RS-232) serial links,
developed in the early 1990s when Gretag was part of AT&T. It supports
continuous data encryption at rates up to 64 kb/s and was available with
various interfaces and (software) options.
More information
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This 19" rackmount system, consisted of two units.
One for either side of the communication link.
It was used to encypher and decypher multiplexed
data streams over satellite links.
More information
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Gretacoder 605 was a line encryptor for synchronous (RS-422) serial links,
developed in the mid-1990s when Gretag was part of IRE (Now: SafeNet).
It supports continuous data encryption at rates up to 2048 kb/s and was
available with various interfaces and options.
More information
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Gretacoder 720 was a highly secure DES encryptor for international
bank-to-bank payments (SWIFT). It was housed in a large strong 19"
case and was highly tamper-proof.
More information
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Below is a non-exhaustive overview of the various Gretag
encryption devices we've encountered so far. Initially all machines
were built under the Gretag brand. Later the name was changed
to Gretacoder, which was sometimes abbreviated as 'GC'.
In the overview below, 'GC' stands for Gretacoder, whilst 'TC'
probably stands for 'Tele Crypto' or 'Teleprinter Crypto'.
If you know any model that is not listed here, please
let us know.
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- Gretag TC-53
Electro-mechanical cipher machine for use with teletype equipment. 1950s.
- Gretag TC-58
Electro-mechanical cipher machine with cipher wheels, that was used in
combination with the Gretag KFF teleprinter. The complete unit was known
as the KFF-58.
- Gretag TC-61
Later version of the TC-58, with the only difference
being the addition of a random number generator on the front panel.
The latter was used for the generation of message keys.
- SC-101
Speech scrambler, for telephone and radio traffic.
Based on the principle of speech inversion. Built around 1973.
- Gretacoder 101
Voice scrambler for secure telephone and radio traffic.
Based on the earlier SC-101 and introduced in 1975.
- Gretacoder 102
Military version of the Gretacoder 101. 1975.
- SC-201
Speech encryption device, built in 1976.
Gretacoder 202/index.htm
Speech encryption device, built in 1977.
Gretacoder 210-210/index.htm
Voice encryption device. Built around 1980.
- Gretacoder 505 / SP300 GCA
Teleprinter cipher system. Compatible with
the Gretacoder 805.
- Gretacoder 515
Continuous block cipher system, for use on digital data networks.
Intended for use by banks, large corporations and public services.
The built-in V.24 modem supports all data speeds up to 20 kbit/sec.
Allows the connection of asynchronous terminals and teletype equipment
(CCITT alphabet #5), synchronous terminals and computers, both in
half duplex and full duplex. Developed for SWIFT around 1974 and
introduced in 1977 [1].
- Gretacoder 517
Data encryptor. Built around 1979.
- Gretacoder 518
Link encryptor. Further details currently unknown.
- Gretacoder 524
X.21 Data encryption system for corporate networks, with a maximum data
transfer speed of 64 kb/s, using synchronous RS-232 protocols.
- TC-534
Early speech encryption system, developed around 1964,
consisting of two large (military) cases. Built around the first
digital circuit blocks. Later redesigned with TTL logic.
- Gretacoder 545
X.25 Data Encryption system
[3]
for corporate data networks. April 1997.
- Gretacoder 549
X.25 On-line Network Security Center (NSC) [3].
Secure host system for communication with Gretacoder 545 nodes
in corporate networks. April 1998.
- Gretacoder 555
Frame Relay Encryptor with a high level of security.
- Gretacoder 601
Military-grade continuous block cipher system, for use on high-speed multiplexed
data networks. Suitable for the transmission of computer, fax and voice data
over (satellite) networks. The civil version is known as
GC-603.
- Gretacoder 603
Continuous block cipher system, for use on high-speed multiplexed
data networks. Suitable for the transmission of computer, fax and voice data
over satellite networks. Civil version of the GC-601.
- Gretacoder 605
V.35 Data encryption systems for corporate networks, with a maximum data
transfer speed of 2048 kb/s, using synchronous RS-422 protocols.
It is backwards compatible with the Gretacoder 524.
- Gretacoder 650
High-speed Link Encryptor in 19" rack mount, providing full-duplex synchronous
link encryption with data rates of 34 and 45 MBits/sec (E3 and T3).
Can be used in protocol-transparent mode (continuous encryption) or in
protocol-dependent mode (framed encryption)
[2]
. August 2000.
- Gretacoder 700
Highly secure encryption/decryption system for Italian inter-bank
payments (SIA). Developed around 1989.
Very similar to the later Gretacoder 720.
- Gretacoder 715
Highly secure encryption, decryption and authentication system for
Swiss inter-bank money transactions (SIC), developed around 1989.
- Gretacoder 720
Highly secure encryption systems for international bank transfers (SWIFT),
as used by all banks world-wide during the 1990s and 2000s. Suitable for
serial RS-232 and X-25 protocol data, and extremely well protected
against tampering.
- Gretag TC-800
Off-line electronic cipher machine, developed in 1969.
Probably a prototype of the later TC-803.
- Gretag TC-803
Semi-portable off-line electronic cipher machine in samsonite briefcase,
with separate 5-level paper tape reader/puncher.
- Gretacoder 805 (portable version)
Modular electronic cipher machine for the encryption of short
written messages. It was available in a portable version
and in a desktop version,
and a large number of options were available.
- Gretacoder 805 (desktop version)
Desktop version of the above.
- Gretag TC-812
Military grade data encryption unit for use with teleprinter
signals (telex). Developed around 1969.
- Gretacoder 905
Pocket electronic text encryptor with a LED array and a few
buttons. Compatible with the Gretacoder 805
and with the later Gretacoder 906.
Built around 1974.
- Gretacoder 906
Pocket electronic text encryption device with full keyboard and
LCD screen. Compatible withe the Gretacoder 805
series and
with the earlier Gretacoder 905.
- Gretacoder 915
Off-line authenticator for banks. Developed in 1975.
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