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IBM 7950 Harvest

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648: 187:, which allowed remote access to Harvest. According to a 1965 NSA report, "RYE has made it possible for the agency to locate many more potentially exploitable cryptographic systems and 'bust' situations. Many messages that would have taken hours or days to read by hand methods, if indeed the process were feasible at all, can now be 'set' and machine decrypted in a matter of minutes". Harvest was also used for decipherment of 93: 148:
memory. The two streams could be combined, used to find data in tables, or counted to determine the frequency of various values. A value could be anything from 1 to 16 contiguous bits, without regard to alignment, and the streams could be as simple as data laid out in memory, or data read repeatedly, under the control of multiple nested "do"-loop descriptors, which were interpreted by the hardware.
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Harvest remained in use until 1976, having been in operation at the NSA for fourteen years. Part of the reason for its retirement was that some of the mechanical components of TRACTOR had worn beyond use, and there was no practical way to replace them. IBM declined to re-implement the architecture
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Harvest's most important mode of operation was called "setup" mode, in which the processor was configured with several hundred bits of information and the processor then operated by streaming data from memory — possibly taking two streams from memory — and writing a separate stream back to
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The TRACTOR tape system, part of the HARVEST system, was unique for its time. It included six tape drives, which handled 1.75-inch-wide (44 mm) tape in cartridges, along with a library mechanism that could fetch a cartridge from a library, mount it on a drive, and return it to the library. The
81:. Its electronics (fabricated of the same kind of discrete transistors used for Stretch) were physically about twice as big as the Stretch to which it was attached. Harvest added a small number of instructions to Stretch, and could not operate independently. 179:
One purpose of the machine was to search text for key words from a watchlist. From a single foreign cipher system, Harvest was able to scan over seven million decrypts for any occurrences of over 7,000 key words in under four hours.
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transfer rates and library mechanism were balanced in performance such that the system could read two streams of data from tape, and write a third, for the entire capacity of the library, without any time wasted for tape handling.
191:; the report goes on to say that, "Decrypting a large batch of messages in a solved system also being routinely handled by this system". The Harvest-RYE system became an influential example for 156: 160: 809: 844: 73:
In April 1958, the final design for the NSA-customized version of IBM's Stretch computer had been approved, and the machine was installed in February 1962. The design engineer was
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An NSA-conducted evaluation found that Harvest was more powerful than the best commercially available machine by a factor of 50 to 200, depending on the task.
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The computer was also used for codebreaking, and this was enhanced by an early distributed networking system codenamed
566: 437: 357: 195:; a 1972 review identified NSA’s RYE as one of two “examples of early attempts at achieving ‘multi-level’ security.” 61:, it was delivered in 1962 and operated until 1976, when it was decommissioned. Harvest was designed to be used for 1293: 1249: 489: 475: 1045: 1298: 1207: 1038: 573: 1066: 559: 1283: 1288: 1221: 1214: 552: 1080: 837: 823: 538: 496: 890: 830: 545: 517: 382: 164: 816: 802: 763: 622: 482: 460: 54: 1228: 222: 17: 1052: 749: 372: 208: 78: 735: 594: 503: 407: 394: 236: 135:
With the stream processing unit, Harvest was able to process 3 million characters a second.
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The equipment added to the Stretch computer consisted of the following special peripherals:
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General and Special-Purpose Computers: a Historical Look and Some Lessons Learned
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TJ Misa “Computer Security Discourse at RAND, SDC, and NSA (1958–1970),”
524: 381:, National Security Agency, 1986. A scanned PDF version is on-line at 1154: 1115: 985: 876: 714: 601: 309:, August 1965, pp. 1–4 (as referenced by Bamford, 2001, pp. 589, 699) 1140: 1059: 1031: 580: 168: 1182: 1161: 957: 911: 1168: 904: 92: 1073: 897: 391:
History of NSA General-Purpose Electronic Digital Computers
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for the former around the time the machine was delivered.
30: 371:, McGraw-Hill, 1962. A scanned PDF version is on-line at 58: 167:) were designed for programming it, and IBM provided a 265:
J.A.N. Lee, March in computing history, looking.back,
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Timeline of the IBM Stretch/Harvest Era (1956–1961)
301: 299: 408:IBM Stretch (aka IBM 7030 Data Processing System) 1270: 296: 937:Global surveillance disclosures (2013–present) 363:S.G. Campbell, P.S. Herwitz and J.H. Pomerene 445: 289: 287: 285: 459: 369:Planning a Computer System: Project Stretch 452: 438: 282: 305:NSA, "Remote-Access Computer Systems" in 972:NSA warrantless surveillance (2001–2007) 91: 29: 320:IEEE Annals of the History of Computing 14: 1304:Computer-related introductions in 1962 1271: 163:(not be confused with Simula-inspired 122:— Magnetic tape system, also known as 433: 322:38 no. 4 (2016): 12-25, quote p. 13. 46:, was a one-of-a-kind adjunct to the 234: 220: 24: 810:Information Warfare Support Center 365:A Nonarithmetical System Extension 224:Preliminary Manual, Harvest System 25: 1315: 567:Misawa Security Operations Center 414:Early History of Harvest Computer 400: 1250:Vulnerabilities Equities Process 646: 490:Consolidated Intelligence Center 476:Alaska Mission Operations Center 891:Secure Terminal Equipment (STE) 116:— High-performance core storage 87: 1208:Institute for Defense Analyses 574:Multiprogram Research Facility 327: 312: 259: 250: 238:Revised Manual, Harvest System 142: 68: 13: 1: 214: 199:in a more modern technology. 77:, and it was built by IBM in 1279:IBM transistorized computers 367:, pp 254–271 in W.Buchholz, 7: 1222:National Cryptologic School 1215:National Cryptologic Museum 553:Interagency Training Center 511:European Cryptologic Center 483:Colorado Cryptologic Center 202: 50:which was installed at the 10: 1320: 1081:Real Time Regional Gateway 824:Special Collection Service 539:Georgia Cryptologic Center 339: 1192: 1132: 1016: 928: 861: 794: 655: 644: 546:Hawaii Cryptologic Center 518:European Technical Center 467: 235:IBM (November 13, 1957). 165:BETA programming language 131:— High-speed I/O exchange 96:A HARVEST tape cartridge. 637:Pacific Technical Center 623:Texas Cryptologic Center 461:National Security Agency 174: 55:National Security Agency 1294:One-of-a-kind computers 1229:National Vigilance Park 1053:Insider Threat Program 750:John Michael McConnell 307:Cryptologic Milestones 209:Cryptanalytic computer 97: 79:Poughkeepsie, New York 35: 27:Cryptanalysis computer 1299:Cryptanalytic devices 736:William Eldridge Odom 333:Bamford, 2001, p. 589 293:Bamford, 2001, p. 587 256:Bamford, 2001, p. 586 153:programming languages 95: 33: 993:Thomas Andrews Drake 269:, 29(3), March 1996 1284:IBM 700/7000 series 1025:Boundless Informant 680:Laurence Hugh Frost 388:Samuel Simon Snyder 221:IBM (May 1, 1957). 1289:IBM supercomputers 771:Keith B. Alexander 708:Samuel C. Phillips 426:(IBM history page) 412:Warren Alva Hunt, 276:2006-03-07 at the 109:Stream coprocessor 98: 36: 1266: 1265: 1236:NSA Hall of Honor 778:Michael S. Rogers 729:Lincoln D. Faurer 193:computer security 75:James H. Pomerene 16:(Redirected from 1311: 1259: 1252: 1245: 1238: 1231: 1224: 1217: 1210: 1203: 1185: 1178: 1171: 1164: 1157: 1150: 1143: 1125: 1118: 1111: 1104: 1097: 1090: 1083: 1076: 1069: 1062: 1055: 1048: 1041: 1034: 1027: 1009: 1002: 995: 988: 981: 974: 967: 960: 953: 946: 944:Church Committee 939: 921: 914: 907: 900: 893: 886: 879: 872: 854: 847: 840: 833: 826: 819: 812: 805: 787: 780: 773: 766: 759: 752: 745: 738: 731: 724: 717: 710: 703: 696: 689: 682: 675: 668: 650: 649: 639: 632: 630:Utah Data Center 625: 618: 611: 604: 597: 590: 588:RAF Menwith Hill 583: 576: 569: 562: 555: 548: 541: 534: 532:Friendship Annex 527: 520: 513: 506: 499: 492: 485: 478: 454: 447: 440: 431: 430: 334: 331: 325: 316: 310: 303: 294: 291: 280: 263: 257: 254: 245: 243: 231: 229: 57:(NSA). Built by 48:Stretch computer 42:, also known as 21: 1319: 1318: 1314: 1313: 1312: 1310: 1309: 1308: 1269: 1268: 1267: 1262: 1257:Zendian Problem 1255: 1248: 1241: 1234: 1227: 1220: 1213: 1206: 1199: 1188: 1181: 1174: 1167: 1160: 1153: 1146: 1139: 1128: 1121: 1114: 1107: 1100: 1093: 1086: 1079: 1072: 1065: 1058: 1051: 1044: 1037: 1030: 1023: 1012: 1005: 998: 991: 984: 977: 970: 963: 956: 949: 942: 935: 924: 917: 910: 903: 896: 889: 882: 875: 868: 857: 850: 843: 836: 829: 822: 815: 808: 801: 790: 783: 776: 769: 762: 757:Kenneth Minihan 755: 748: 741: 734: 727: 722:Bobby Ray Inman 720: 713: 706: 699: 694:Marshall Carter 692: 685: 678: 673:John A. Samford 671: 664: 651: 647: 642: 635: 628: 621: 614: 607: 600: 593: 586: 579: 572: 565: 558: 551: 544: 537: 530: 523: 516: 509: 502: 495: 488: 481: 474: 463: 458: 403: 350:Body of Secrets 342: 337: 332: 328: 317: 313: 304: 297: 292: 283: 278:Wayback Machine 264: 260: 255: 251: 241: 227: 217: 205: 177: 145: 90: 71: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1317: 1307: 1306: 1301: 1296: 1291: 1286: 1281: 1264: 1263: 1261: 1260: 1253: 1246: 1239: 1232: 1225: 1218: 1211: 1204: 1201:Dundee Society 1196: 1194: 1190: 1189: 1187: 1186: 1179: 1172: 1165: 1158: 1151: 1144: 1136: 1134: 1130: 1129: 1127: 1126: 1119: 1112: 1105: 1098: 1091: 1084: 1077: 1070: 1063: 1056: 1049: 1042: 1035: 1028: 1020: 1018: 1014: 1013: 1011: 1010: 1003: 996: 989: 982: 979:Pike Committee 975: 968: 961: 954: 951:Edward Snowden 947: 940: 932: 930: 926: 925: 923: 922: 915: 908: 901: 894: 887: 880: 873: 865: 863: 859: 858: 856: 855: 848: 841: 834: 827: 820: 813: 806: 798: 796: 792: 791: 789: 788: 781: 774: 767: 764:Michael Hayden 760: 753: 746: 739: 732: 725: 718: 711: 704: 697: 690: 683: 676: 669: 661: 659: 653: 652: 645: 643: 641: 640: 633: 626: 619: 612: 605: 598: 591: 584: 577: 570: 563: 556: 549: 542: 535: 528: 521: 514: 507: 500: 493: 486: 479: 471: 469: 465: 464: 457: 456: 449: 442: 434: 428: 427: 421: 416: 410: 402: 401:External links 399: 398: 397: 385: 377:Douglas Hogan 375: 361: 341: 338: 336: 335: 326: 311: 295: 281: 258: 248: 247: 246: 232: 216: 213: 212: 211: 204: 201: 189:solved systems 176: 173: 144: 141: 133: 132: 126: 117: 111: 89: 86: 70: 67: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1316: 1305: 1302: 1300: 1297: 1295: 1292: 1290: 1287: 1285: 1282: 1280: 1277: 1276: 1274: 1258: 1254: 1251: 1247: 1244: 1240: 1237: 1233: 1230: 1226: 1223: 1219: 1216: 1212: 1209: 1205: 1202: 1198: 1197: 1195: 1191: 1184: 1180: 1177: 1173: 1170: 1166: 1163: 1159: 1156: 1152: 1149: 1145: 1142: 1138: 1137: 1135: 1131: 1124: 1120: 1117: 1113: 1110: 1106: 1103: 1099: 1096: 1092: 1089: 1085: 1082: 1078: 1075: 1071: 1068: 1064: 1061: 1057: 1054: 1050: 1047: 1043: 1040: 1036: 1033: 1029: 1026: 1022: 1021: 1019: 1015: 1008: 1004: 1001: 997: 994: 990: 987: 983: 980: 976: 973: 969: 966: 965:James Bamford 962: 959: 955: 952: 948: 945: 941: 938: 934: 933: 931: 927: 920: 919:WARRIOR PRIDE 916: 913: 909: 906: 902: 899: 895: 892: 888: 885: 881: 878: 874: 871: 867: 866: 864: 860: 853: 849: 846: 842: 839: 835: 832: 828: 825: 821: 818: 814: 811: 807: 804: 800: 799: 797: 793: 786: 785:Paul Nakasone 782: 779: 775: 772: 768: 765: 761: 758: 754: 751: 747: 744: 743:Bill Studeman 740: 737: 733: 730: 726: 723: 719: 716: 712: 709: 705: 702: 698: 695: 691: 688: 684: 681: 677: 674: 670: 667: 663: 662: 660: 658: 654: 638: 634: 631: 627: 624: 620: 617: 613: 610: 606: 603: 599: 596: 595:Roaring Creek 592: 589: 585: 582: 578: 575: 571: 568: 564: 561: 557: 554: 550: 547: 543: 540: 536: 533: 529: 526: 522: 519: 515: 512: 508: 505: 501: 498: 494: 491: 487: 484: 480: 477: 473: 472: 470: 466: 462: 455: 450: 448: 443: 441: 436: 435: 432: 425: 422: 420: 417: 415: 411: 409: 405: 404: 395: 392: 389: 386: 383: 380: 376: 373: 370: 366: 362: 359: 358:0-385-49908-6 355: 351: 347: 346:James Bamford 344: 343: 330: 324: 321: 315: 308: 302: 300: 290: 288: 286: 279: 275: 272: 268: 262: 253: 249: 240: 239: 233: 226: 225: 219: 218: 210: 207: 206: 200: 196: 194: 190: 186: 181: 172: 170: 166: 162: 158: 154: 149: 140: 136: 130: 127: 125: 121: 118: 115: 112: 110: 106: 103: 102: 101: 94: 85: 82: 80: 76: 66: 64: 63:cryptanalysis 60: 56: 53: 52:United States 49: 45: 41: 32: 19: 1123:Epic Shelter 1088:Stellar Wind 883: 687:Gordon Blake 666:Ralph Canine 406:Eric Smith, 390: 378: 368: 364: 349: 329: 319: 314: 306: 266: 261: 252: 237: 223: 197: 184: 182: 178: 150: 146: 137: 134: 128: 123: 119: 113: 104: 99: 88:Architecture 83: 72: 43: 39: 37: 1095:TRAILBLAZER 1007:Matthew Aid 1000:Thomas Tamm 929:Controversy 870:ANT catalog 701:Noel Gayler 616:Sugar Grove 560:Kent Island 504:Dorsey Road 143:Programming 69:Development 1273:Categories 1148:Interquake 1102:Turbulence 862:Technology 609:Salt Creek 525:Fort Meade 215:References 1155:Main Core 1133:Databases 1116:XKeyscore 986:Russ Tice 877:FROSTBURG 795:Divisions 715:Lew Allen 602:Room 641A 468:Locations 1141:DISHFIRE 1109:Upstream 1060:MUSCULAR 1046:Fairview 1032:Dropmire 1017:Programs 581:Pine Gap 374:(10.4MB) 352:, 2001, 274:Archived 271:(online) 267:Computer 203:See also 169:compiler 129:IBM 7959 120:IBM 7955 114:IBM 7952 105:IBM 7951 40:IBM 7950 1183:PINWALE 1162:MAINWAY 1039:ECHELON 958:LOVEINT 912:STU-III 884:HARVEST 657:Leaders 424:TRACTOR 396:(3.3MB) 384:(1.1MB) 340:Sources 124:TRACTOR 44:Harvest 34:HARVEST 18:HARVEST 1243:VENONA 1176:Nymrod 1169:MARINA 1067:MYSTIC 905:STU-II 356:  1193:Other 1074:PRISM 898:STU-I 242:(PDF) 228:(PDF) 175:Usage 157:Alpha 852:NSOC 845:NTOC 497:CSSG 354:ISBN 161:Beta 159:and 151:Two 38:The 838:TAO 831:SSO 817:ROC 803:CSS 185:Rye 59:IBM 1275:: 348:, 298:^ 284:^ 155:, 107:— 65:. 453:e 446:t 439:v 360:. 244:. 230:. 20:)

Index

HARVEST

Stretch computer
United States
National Security Agency
IBM
cryptanalysis
James H. Pomerene
Poughkeepsie, New York

Stream coprocessor
programming languages
Alpha
Beta
BETA programming language
compiler
solved systems
computer security
Cryptanalytic computer
Preliminary Manual, Harvest System
Revised Manual, Harvest System
(online)
Archived
Wayback Machine





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