Cryptography was used in ancient times. For as long as man has written and been able to read, men have wanted to write something that only certain other people could read.

Cryptography was used by both sides in the revolutionary war and it played a major role in the World Wars. Making, breaking, and protecting cryptography was a major military effort. Its not wonder that the military considers cryptography to be a weapon. Battles could be won or lost based on who had the better cryptography or cryptographers!

The Cornwalls cipher was unbreakable for the job it was used for during the revolutionary war. It didn't matter that, eventually, it would be broken. By the time the message was broken, the battle would be over and the information it contained was useless.

Cryptography has been featured in or played a major role in the plots of many mystery stories, science fictions, or spy novels. In the Sherlock Holmes novel "The Dancing Men", cyptography plays a central role.

So cryptography is nothing new...