DON'T TRUST THE SYMBOL. VERIFY THE KEY.
Prove every change before you ship it
The historic signature is what matters. Anyone can copy the image of a cicada.
A SYMBOL IS NOT A SIGNATURE
The historic record contains imitation messages and false leads. Cryptographic authentication helps distinguish a document from a claim.
THE HISTORIC KEY
Authentic public messages associated with Cicada 3301 were signed using OpenPGP. The historical key's short identifier ends in 7A35090F. That identifier is part of the archive, not a credential controlled by this token.
THE ORIGINAL RECORD
A photograph, post or anonymous account may reproduce the cicada emblem. That alone does not establish authorship. A meaningful historical claim should be connected to a verifiable source and its original context.
FALSE PATHS
Since the first puzzles appeared, numerous lookalike clues have circulated. Some are fan puzzles; some are rumors. A cryptic appearance is not evidence that a message came from the original group.
THE LAST VERIFIED MESSAGE
The recognized public key was last used for widely accepted signed communications in April 2017. The absence of a newer verified record does not make every modern claim true — it makes verification more important.
FIELD RECORDS
ARCHIVE REFERENCES
FIND THE ORIGINAL
Prefer primary records and preserved signed texts.
CHECK THE SIGNATURE
Use cryptographic verification where available.
CHECK THE DATE
Keep claims aligned with the documented timeline.
ARCHIVE REFERENCES
CHECK THE CONTEXT
A screenshot alone can remove essential information.
REPEAT THE METHOD
Reliable decoding should be reproducible.
RESIST IMPERSONATION
Do not assume that any modern project is the original group.
Stop guessing, start measuring
Start with the historical records and independently reproducible evidence.