Cicada 3301 is a nickname given to three sets of puzzles posted under the name "3301" online between 2012 and 2014. The first puzzle started on January 2, 2012, on 4chan and ran for nearly a month. A second round of puzzles began one year later on January 4, 2013, and then a third round following the confirmation of a fresh clue posted on Twitter on January 4, 2014. The third puzzle has yet to be solved. The stated intent was to recruit "intelligent individuals" by presenting a series of puzzles to be solved; no new puzzles were published on January 4, 2015. A new clue was posted on Twitter on January 5, 2016. Cicada 3301 posted their last verified OpenPGP-signed message in April 2017, denying the validity of any unsigned puzzle.
The puzzles focused heavily on data security, cryptography, steganography, and internet anonymity. It has been called "the most elaborate and mysterious puzzle of the internet age", and is listed as one of the "top 5 eeriest, unsolved mysteries of the internet" by The Washington Post, and much speculation exists as to its function. Many have speculated that the puzzles are a recruitment tool for the NSA, CIA, MI6, a "Masonic conspiracy", or a cyber mercenary group. Others have stated Cicada 3301 is an alternate reality game, although no company or individual has attempted to monetize it. Some of the final contestants believe that Cicada 3301 is a remnant of the late 1980s and 1990s Cypherpunk movement.
Purpose
The stated purpose of the puzzles each year was to recruit "highly intelligent individuals", although the ultimate purpose remains unknown. Theories have included claims that Cicada 3301 is a secret society with the goal of improving cryptography, privacy and anonymity or that it is a cult or religion. According to statements of several people who won the 2012 puzzle, 3301 typically uses non-puzzle-based recruiting methods, but created the Cicada puzzles because they were looking for potential members with cryptography and computer security skills.
Resolution
The first puzzle, of 2013, was solved by Marcus Wanner. According to him, those who solved the puzzles were asked questions about their support of information freedom, online privacy and freedom, and rejection of censorship. Those who answered satisfactorily at this stage were invited to a private forum, where they were instructed to devise and complete a project intended to further the ideals of the group. He did not finish his work on a method of general decryption and the website was removed.
Types of clues
The Cicada 3301 clues spanned many different forms of communication media, including the internet, telephone, original music, bootable Linux CDs, digital images, physical paper signs, and pages of unpublished cryptic books written in runes. In total there were two pieces of music, titled "The Instar Emergence" and "Interconnectedness", accompanying the Cicada clues. However, neither of them were part of a standard repertoire, and neither the composers nor performers have been identified; The Cicada 3301 also wrote a book, titled Liber Primus, literally "first book"; it contains many pages, only some of which have been decrypted. In addition to using many varying techniques to encrypt, encode, or hide data, these clues also referenced a wide variety of books, poetry, artwork and music. Each clue was signed by the same OpenPGP private key to confirm authenticity.
Allegations against the group
Allegations of illegal activity
Authorities from the Los Andes Province of Chile claimed that Cicada 3301 is a "hacker group" and engaged in illegal activities. Cicada 3301 responded to this claim by issuing a PGP-signed statement denying any involvement in illegal activity.
In July 2015, a group calling themselves "3301" hacked into Planned Parenthood's database; however, the group appeared to have no association to Cicada 3301. Cicada 3301 later issued a PGP-signed statement stating they "are not associated with this group in any way" and also stated that Cicada 3301 did not "condone their use of our name, number, or symbolism". The hacker group later confirmed that they were not affiliated with Cicada 3301.