[throwanem]

Stross fans will know what I mean when I say this nomenclature sounds like something out of "A Colder War" [1]. Those who don't know what I mean are strongly encouraged to follow that link, at the far end of which is a rather good piece of short fiction that answers the question: "What if Lovecraft was right - and Kubrick, in Dr. Strangelove, was right, too?"

Better a ZK-SNARK than an XK-BOOJUM, I suppose...

[1] http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/colderwar.htm

[arethuza]

I think thats just a particular naming style used by people like the CIA:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_cryptonym

e.g. MKUltra - the MK tells you it was sponsored by the Technical Services Division

The UK had Rainbow Codes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Rainbow_Codes

e.g. Blue Bunny - a 10kt nuclear mine

Edit: I agree that A Colder War is superb - wonderfully bleak ending (if you like that kind of thing).

[throwanem]

Sure. But since neither XK nor ZK is known to have been used by CIA, and XK is known to be used in the novella, and the snark/boojum contrast exists and would fit well with the story, that was what I referenced.