The Cryptologic History Symposium is a prestigious program showcasing speakers recognized as cryptologic authorities from around the world. The theme and agenda topics for the Symposium attract the interest of scholars, professionals, and the public.
NCF and the NSA Center for Cryptologic History (CCH)
The National Cryptologic Foundation (NCF) and the Center for Cryptologic History (CCH) co-host the biennial Cryptologic History Symposium, and the NCF also provides support to the CCH History Research Program. In 2003, then DIRNSA, General Michael V. Hayden, requested support from then NCMF for the 2003 Symposium. Since then the Foundation and CCH have teamed up to co-host a unique biennial event that attracts international attention from academia and the Intelligence Community. Learn about the mission and programs of the Center for Cryptologic History.
Next Symposium - April 30-May 2, 2025 (with NCF GMM held on April 29, 2025)
The Center for Cryptologic History (CCH) and the National Cryptologic Foundation (NCF) will co-host the 19th Cryptologic History Symposium from April 30 to May 2, 2025. The Symposium will be held in-person at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab Kossiakoff Center in Laurel, Maryland on Wednesday, April 30 - Thursday - May 1, 2025. Following the Symposium, attendees will be given an opportunity to tour the recently renovated National Cryptologic Museum on Friday, May 2, 2025 and learn about resources available through the National Cryptologic Museum Library. Attendees may also want to consider attending the 2025 NCF General Membership Meeting (GMM) which will precede the Symposium at the Kossiakoff Center on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Please note registration for the NCF GMM is separate from the Symposium registration.
The CCH and the NCF reserve the right to cancel or modify the Cryptologic History Symposium, including a hybrid in-person/virtual event, or an all-virtual platform with a potentially abbreviated program if warranted.
Theme
The theme for the 2025 Cryptologic History Symposium is “Engage the Past - Educate the Future.”
From antiquity to the present, rigorous scholarship and technological innovation have advanced the science and art of cryptology. This rich heritage is told through stories of the people, technology, and events that have propelled cryptologic history and catalyzed innovation. Their stories can provide context to past events, a better understanding of the present, and a path toward a more secure future.
Cost
The daily registration fee includes lunch plus morning and afternoon refreshments on April 30-May 1, 2025. Admission to the National Cryptologic Museum on May 2, 2025 is free to all attendees, but no lunch or refreshments will be provided on that day.
| Registration Rate Category | Daily Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard | $84/day |
| Student (please bring student ID to present upon check-in) | $42/day |
| Speaker - Non-US Government Employee | $0 on speaking day; Standard rate on additional day |
| Speaker - US Government Employee | Standard rate each day |
Registration Methods: Secure online registration will be available soon via the NCF website with major credit cards accepted.
If you are unable to register online - please call the NCF office at 443-795-4498.
Registration Deadline: April 23, 2025 at 11:59 PM EDT
No Walk-In registrations will be accepted.
Registration for the NCF General Membership Meeting (GMM) on April 29, 2025 is handled separately through the NCF. See cryptologicfoundation.org/community/conferences/meeting.html for details of this program.
LODGING
There is no sponsored event hotel and CCH cannot make lodging or transportation recommendations for out-of-town attendees. Lodging and transportation arrangements are the responsibility of each attendee. Questions should be directed to Melissa Mann or John Tokar at cchevents@nsa.gov or 301-688-2336.
Purpose of the Symposium
Since 1990, the Cryptologic History Symposium has served as an opportunity to present historical scholarship found in unclassified and declassified cryptologic records and engage in discussion about their significance to history. The event is an occasion for historians and those interested in history to gather for reflection and debate on relevant and important topics from the cryptologic past. Regular speakers include historians from CCH, the Intelligence Community, the defense establishment, the military services, scholars from American and international academic institutions, veterans of the cryptologic profession, graduate and undergraduate students, and noted authors. Past symposia have featured scholarship that set out new ways to consider our cryptologic heritage. The conference provides many opportunities to interact with leading historians and other experts. The mix of practitioners, scholars, and interested observers guarantees a lively debate that promotes an enhanced appreciation for past events and their applicability to current and future issues.
About the CCH
The National Security Agency (NSA) established the Center for Cryptologic History in 1989. CCH keeps history alive by enhancing the knowledge and decision-making abilities of the Intelligence Community (IC). A critical asset, the CCH provides an historical and objective account of cryptologic history for the NSA, IC, Department of Defense, other government agencies, academia, and the general public. At the CCH, we believe learning from the past can help improve future decision making and strengthen the public's understanding of cryptology's role in national security.
PREVIOUS SYMPOSIUMS
The theme for the 18th Cryptologic History Symposium, held May 11-12, 2022, was “Icons and Innovation.”
In today’s world of high-tech cryptology, artificial intelligence, and cyber security, it is easy to forget that behind every new technological development are people who conceived of, built, and continuously improved upon the tools and technologies available today. The stories of these people provide us with lessons, insights, and inspiration. Many have already become icons in cryptology, but there are others whose stories have yet to be told. Innovation, the introduction of something new or a new idea, method, or device has been the hallmark of cryptology for centuries. The stories of both successful, and unsuccessful, cryptologic innovations can provide context to past events, a better understanding of the present, and a path toward a more secure future.
The 2022 Cryptologic History Symposium was held virtually via Microsoft Teams Live Events. Please click below to see the Final Program with links to videos.
The theme for the 17th biennial Symposium on Cryptologic History on October 17-18, 2019 was "From Discovery to Discourse." Since 1990, the Symposium on Cryptologic History has served as an opportunity to present historical discoveries found in unclassified and declassified Intelligence Community records and engage in scholarly discussion about their significance to cryptologic history. The 2019 Symposium program offered over 20 educational sessions led by over 65 speakers. Topics included cryptologic history related to World War I and II, the Cold War, communications security, cyberspace and technology, international and diplomatic relations, counterintelligence and espionage, declassification and public engagement, and more.
The theme for the 2017 Symposium was "Milestones, Memories, and Momentum." There were many milestones to mark in 2017: the 160th anniversary of the first attempt to span the Atlantic with a telegraph cable, 100 years since both the entry of the United States into World War I and the Russian October Revolution, and 75 years after the World War II battles of Coral Sea and Midway. The Symposium took place in October 2017, just a few months before the 50th anniversary of the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, and during the 25th year after the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.
The theme for the 2015 Symposium was “A Century of Cryptology.” As we mark the centenary years of World War I (1914–1918), when so many significant advancements occurred in the field of cryptology, we examine the impact cryptologists made throughout the twentieth century, especially during such periods as World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, the War in Vietnam, and the post-Cold War era. The Symposium included panels that look at the foundations of cryptology before the “Great War.”
The theme for the 2013 Symposium was "Technologic Change and Cryptography: Meeting the Historical Challenge." The keynote address was given by Mr. Chris Inglis, then Deputy Director of NSA. Present at the Symposium were scholars from around the world and the presentations were wide ranging. Examples include: Intelligence Preparation for the Next War, Cipher Systems and Methods, Cryptology as Musical Entertainment, Cryptology in the Ancient World, Bletchley Park Celebrated, and COMINT and the Civil War.
