What do shibboleth, coffin varnish, monkey rum, and tarantula juice have in common? They are all spoken passwords! Spoken passwords were one of the earliest forms of keys. Instead of a physical key, it was a spoken word to allow entry or access into a place. Earliest uses of the spoken password were used in warfare. In Ancient Rome spoken passwords were referred to as “watchwords” and the watchword would be spoken around an encampment to ensure no spies had infiltrated. While it had several practical uses in warfare, the spoken word password erupted in popularity after the 18th amendment had passed. Speakeasies erupted out of the ashes of prohibition, but a code was required for entry. Oftentimes this code was a ridiculous string of words such as panther sweat, but regardless of what the spoken password was it kept people drinking and the law enforcement out!

Spoken passwords are another form of keys, instead of relying on an object such as a chest, another person acts as the chest while the key is the password! Spoken passwords resulted in personal connections as this key would have to be talked about and spread around to ensure that all “keyholders” had access. Instead of physical keys being lost, the equivalent was a code word being forgotten. While someone can steal a key to get into a locked location, spoken passwords have different weaknesses. Vulnerabilities of spoken passwords consist of people eavesdropping to get the key.

An extreme example of the spoken password being used and eavesdropped was the complex code communication methods of World War II. During a time when radio calls could be intercepted over air, the only way to communicate secretly was through spoken passwords. Nazi Germany was dominating the spoken password system during World War II. Code “Ultra” was uncrackable and the key was right in front of the allied intelligences. The Enigma Machine was the key to the spoken password yet was almost impossible to crack. It took several mathematicians and years of work to crack. Eventually the spoken password was cracked by Alan Turing and resulted in the beginning of the turn of the tide in World War II towards the allies. Since the allies now had the key to the code, the chest of military intelligence and top secret information was now open.

In the 21st century, spoken passwords are a less common form of password as many different technologies make spoken passwords obsolete. The 21st century rendition of a spoken password is computer recognized vocal recognition. Instead of relying on a person saying a code word a computer listens to a person’s voice tone, pitch, and accent as the key to a locked location. With less vulnerabilities as it is nearly impossible to crack the code of someone else’s voice, computer recognized vocal recognition provides the most up to date and secure version of the spoken password.

In conclusion the key of a spoken password has been modified and adapted for uses in warfare and speakeasies. With its new adaptation in the 21st century of technology providing the new spoken key of a person’s voice, the spoken key has survived throughout history and remains relevant to today.