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Rotor machine
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{{Short description|Class of electromechanical encryption devices, used widely from the 1920s to the 1970s}} {{Distinguish|Rotary system}} {{more footnotes needed|date=March 2009}} [[Image:Enigma rotor set.png|thumbnail|right|A series of three rotors from an Enigma machine, used by Germany during World War II]] [[Image:Enigma rotor exploded view.png|thumb|Exploded view of an Enigma machine rotor:1-Notched ring, 2-Dot marking the position of the "A" contact, 3-Alphabet "tyre" or ring, 4-Electrical plate contacts, 5-Wire connections, 6-Spring-loaded pin contacts, 7-Spring-loaded ring adjustment pin, 8-Hub, through which fits the central axle, 9-Finger wheel, 10-Ratchet mechanism]] In [[cryptography]], a '''rotor machine''' is an electro-mechanical [[stream cipher]] device used for [[encryption|encrypting]] and decrypting messages. Rotor machines were the cryptographic state-of-the-art for much of the 20th century; they were in widespread use from the 1920s to the 1970s. The most famous example is the German [[Enigma machine]], the output of which was deciphered by the Allies during World War II, producing intelligence code-named ''[[Ultra (cryptography)|Ultra]]''.
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