For over a century, Enigma cipher machines have remained in the imaginations of history buffs and cryptography enthusiasts, and they are still found at dusty French flea markets and unearthed by treasure hunters from beneath beach sludge This article explores acquired enigmas machines. . Additionally, a look at what the Enigma can teach today's defenders at this year's RSAC Conference implies that cybersecurity experts should remember the history of the Nazis' hubris and lack of creativity.

Related: Threat Landscape: Latin America's Cyber Maturity Is Below Average Between 35,000 and 40,000 Enigma machines were made, according to Marc Sachs, senior vice president and chief engineer of the Center for Internet Security and an Enigma machine collector. Sachs estimates that only a small number—between 350 and 360—remain.

To keep them out of Allied hands, he explained, many of the devices were destroyed by German army rifle butts along the route, then burned and buried in a hole, ideally a latrine. Sachs stated, "But they find a new one every couple of years," from his home office, which houses two of these priceless bits of cybersecurity history. According to Sachs, one is completely functional, but the other was discovered beneath the mud on an Eastern French beach and was probably discarded in a Nazi latrine in 1944.

It's just cool to look at.

After the 2013 release of the film "Imitation Game," which told the story of Alan Turing, the brilliant and code-cracker computer scientist, and the war efforts at Bletchley Park, Sachs had already acquired his own Enigmas machines. "Then prices went through the roof," he stated. An original Enigma machine from Germany.

Marc Sachs is the source. Sachs claimed that the history of the Enigma machine has much to teach modern cybersecurity experts, making it more than just a collectible. He will weave through World War II history in his upcoming presentation at RSAC 2026, detailing the Nazi blunders that ultimately resulted in their communications compromise — without the Nazis ever realizing it was possible.

Related: Top-Rated 'Starkiller' Phishing Kit Avoids MFA ## The Enigma Machine's Cybersecurity Teachings "There were engineering mistakes," Sachs stated. "They had faith in the design. Red teaming wasn't present.

Additionally, he noted that Enigma's front-line users—who were typically 19-year-old first-year military recruits—were prone to indolence and easily distracted, which led to their own vulnerabilities in the system. "The Germans were over-confident," Sachs remarked. Since they were unable to crack it, they thought it was uncrackable. However, Polish intelligence was able to accomplish this by intercepting messages.

In his talk, Sachs will compare the Enigma machine to contemporary cybersecurity issues involving supply chains, material shortages, and other issues.

Just before his presentation, Sachs has set up an Engima machine at the RSAC's Moscone West for ardent fans to test out for themselves. From March 23 to March 26, 2026