Edward Scheidt
Encyclopedia
Edward M. Scheidt is a retired Chairman of the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) Cryptographic
Center and the designer of the cryptographic systems used in the Kryptos
sculpture at CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia
.
. His father worked for the government, and his mother was a switchboard operator at AT&T
. He graduated in 1957 from Cor Jesu High School
in New Orleans and then joined the Army, where he worked in Signals Intelligence. In 1963, he was hired as a communications officer for the CIA, and in the 1980s, he became a communications security officer. He worked for 26 years at the CIA, working primarily in operations and retiring in December 1989. Scheidt spent 12 years posted overseas, including serving in Laos
in the early 1960s, the Middle East
in the late 1960s, and a tour in Southeast Asia
. Most often he used one-time pad
paper systems of encryption. Scheidt received a B.A. in computer science
from the University of Maryland
in 1970 and a degree in telecommunications from George Washington University
in 1975.
CIA Director William H. Webster referred to Scheidt as "The Deep Throat of Codes." Scheidt is best known for his involvement with Kryptos
, a sculpture in the CIA courtyard which contains one of the world's most famous unsolved codes. Kryptos was created by Washington DC sculptor Jim Sanborn, who was commissioned by the CIA in the 1980s to create art around their new Headquarters building in 1988. After Sanborn decided he wanted to incorporate some encrypted messages in his artwork, he was teamed with Scheidt, who was in the process of retiring. Up until that point, Sanborn had never used encryption or text in his work. Scheidt taught various encryption methods to Sanborn, who chose the exact messages to be encrypted. Of the messages on the sculpture, three have been solved, but the fourth section, 97 or 98 characters at the very bottom, remains uncracked. Scheidt has said that he knows the answer, along with Sanborn and "probably someone at the CIA."
After retiring from the CIA, Scheidt helped found an encryption company called TecSec Inc., in 1990 in Vienna, Virginia
, where as of 2011 he works as Chief Scientist
. One of their first ventures was to manufacture portable satellite versions of the secure "STU-III" telephones used by the government. Scheidt manufactured the first model in his home basement workshop, and approximately 500 were in use worldwide by the United States Foreign Service
as of 2002.
In February 2010 TecSec filed a lawsuit against several large tech vendors claiming infringement of several patents covering encryption technology.
Scheidt has been a speaker on cryptography at Bouchercon
, a mystery convention. He also volunteers as a local scoutmaster.
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA) Cryptographic
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties...
Center and the designer of the cryptographic systems used in the Kryptos
Kryptos
Kryptos is an encrypted sculpture by American artist Jim Sanborn located on the grounds of the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia. Since its dedication on November 3, 1990, there has been much speculation about the meaning of the encrypted messages it bears...
sculpture at CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia
Langley, Virginia
Langley is an unincorporated community in the census-designated place of McLean in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States.The community was essentially absorbed into McLean many years ago, although there is still a Langley High School...
.
Biography
Scheidt was born in 1939 in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. His father worked for the government, and his mother was a switchboard operator at AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
. He graduated in 1957 from Cor Jesu High School
Brother Martin High School
Brother Martin High School is an all-male, Catholic, university preparatory school located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States operated by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. It was established in 1869 by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, establishing the school as St. Aloysius College...
in New Orleans and then joined the Army, where he worked in Signals Intelligence. In 1963, he was hired as a communications officer for the CIA, and in the 1980s, he became a communications security officer. He worked for 26 years at the CIA, working primarily in operations and retiring in December 1989. Scheidt spent 12 years posted overseas, including serving in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
in the early 1960s, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
in the late 1960s, and a tour in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. Most often he used one-time pad
One-time pad
In cryptography, the one-time pad is a type of encryption, which has been proven to be impossible to crack if used correctly. Each bit or character from the plaintext is encrypted by a modular addition with a bit or character from a secret random key of the same length as the plaintext, resulting...
paper systems of encryption. Scheidt received a B.A. in computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
from the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in 1970 and a degree in telecommunications from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in 1975.
CIA Director William H. Webster referred to Scheidt as "The Deep Throat of Codes." Scheidt is best known for his involvement with Kryptos
Kryptos
Kryptos is an encrypted sculpture by American artist Jim Sanborn located on the grounds of the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia. Since its dedication on November 3, 1990, there has been much speculation about the meaning of the encrypted messages it bears...
, a sculpture in the CIA courtyard which contains one of the world's most famous unsolved codes. Kryptos was created by Washington DC sculptor Jim Sanborn, who was commissioned by the CIA in the 1980s to create art around their new Headquarters building in 1988. After Sanborn decided he wanted to incorporate some encrypted messages in his artwork, he was teamed with Scheidt, who was in the process of retiring. Up until that point, Sanborn had never used encryption or text in his work. Scheidt taught various encryption methods to Sanborn, who chose the exact messages to be encrypted. Of the messages on the sculpture, three have been solved, but the fourth section, 97 or 98 characters at the very bottom, remains uncracked. Scheidt has said that he knows the answer, along with Sanborn and "probably someone at the CIA."
After retiring from the CIA, Scheidt helped found an encryption company called TecSec Inc., in 1990 in Vienna, Virginia
Vienna, Virginia
Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,687. Significantly more people live in zip codes with the Vienna postal addresses bordered approximately by Interstate 66 on the south, Interstate 495 on the east, Route 7 to...
, where as of 2011 he works as Chief Scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
. One of their first ventures was to manufacture portable satellite versions of the secure "STU-III" telephones used by the government. Scheidt manufactured the first model in his home basement workshop, and approximately 500 were in use worldwide by the United States Foreign Service
United States Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is a component of the United States federal government under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S...
as of 2002.
In February 2010 TecSec filed a lawsuit against several large tech vendors claiming infringement of several patents covering encryption technology.
Scheidt has been a speaker on cryptography at Bouchercon
Bouchercon
Bouchercon, the Anthony Boucher Memorial World Mystery Convention, is an annual convention of creators and devotees of mystery and detective fiction. It is named in honour of writer, reviewer, and editor Anthony Boucher....
, a mystery convention. He also volunteers as a local scoutmaster.
Further reading
- "Information-Centric Security", February 6, 2004, PentagonThe PentagonThe Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
report, co-written with Wai Tsang and Karen Burkardsmaier
External links
- Kryptos FAQ
- TecSec information page
- "Techway", November 7, 2002, Washington Post
- Bouchercon 2001