The Enigma machine, a mechanical encryption device most known for its involvement in World War II, used a complicated system of rotors and a plugboard to protect communications. However, its security relied heavily on the secrecy of its configuration settings, which may be jeopardized if misdirected or intercepted. This vulnerability provides a fascinating parallel to modern security concerns and is a useful narrative tool for instructional purposes. This paper suggests improving the security of the Enigma machine by adding the RSA asymmetric public key cryptosystem to protect the transmission of these essential parameters. The work shows that by encrypting the Enigma machine's settings—such as plugboard configurations and rotor positions—with RSA and appending them to the Enigma-encrypted message, these settings may stay safe even if intercepted, due to RSA's strong cryptographic features.

To investigate this connection, a digital emulation of the Enigma machine was constructed, together with RSA cryptosystem capability. The programming included methods for evaluating the combined system's cryptographic performance. The results show that adding RSA significantly improves the security of the original Enigma machine, bringing it up to contemporary standards and allowing for safe communications across digital networks. The findings emphasize substantial security advantages, such as enhanced resistance to interception and decryption efforts, while also addressing the practical issues involved with this integrated strategy. This work presents a theoretically sound encryption model that preserves the Enigma machine's historical context while considerably improving its security and usefulness in today's digital ecosystem.

This work creates a unique instructional tool that bridges the gap between the past and the present by combining contemporary digital cryptography techniques with historical approaches such as the mechanical Enigma machine and the RSA public key scheme. This integration not only provides valuable insights into the design and implementation of cybersecurity engineering practices, but it also serves as an effective learning experience, demonstrating core cryptographic principles and improving understanding of both classical and contemporary cryptographic strategies. By concentrating on these educational advantages, the research complements the conference subjects and offers a dynamic approach to cybersecurity teaching and learning.

Keywords: Education.