VENONA Project

The public record identifies VENONA Project as a cryptanalysis matter associated with U.S. Army Signal Intelligence Service, NSA during 1943–1980. A secret American cryptanalytic effort begun in 1943 to examine encrypted Soviet diplomatic communications. The recovered material also exposed portions of Soviet espionage traffic.

For decades, the United States secretly read fragments of Soviet intelligence messages—and almost nobody knew the program existed.

A secret American cryptanalytic effort begun in 1943 to examine encrypted Soviet diplomatic communications. The recovered material also exposed portions of Soviet espionage traffic.

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