Motorola Secure Phone
I saw a new cordless phone made by Motorola in a retail outlet today that is supposedly "Secure from eavesdroppers." I asked the salespeople for more technical info, but they weren't very helpful. Does anyone have any information on this? I didn't notice any "Not for Export" stickers on the box, and the ITAR does cover spread-spectrum technology. So is it analog or digital? Is it just doing simple analog tricks, or is it encrypting a bitstream? Clipper maybe? I doubt it. Any info appreciated. Dan *************************************************************** #define private public dan@milliways.org Worcester Polytechnic Institute and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe ***************************************************************
What about cellular phones, especially GSM? As I have heard GSM is supposed to be secure, at least thats what the salespersons tell every time they are selling a GSM. I know ciphering algorithms A3, A8 and A5 are used in GSM phones, but I know nothing more about them. Jüri Kaljundi jk@digit.ee Digiturg http://www.digit.ee/
My AT&T 900 (or is it 9000?) MHz digital cordless phone says the same thing. I figure it uses a weak cryptosystem. There is something about key setup when you return the handset to the base. (The phone was $200, FWIW)
I saw a new cordless phone made by Motorola in a retail outlet today that is supposedly "Secure from eavesdroppers." I asked the salespeople for more technical info, but they weren't very helpful. Does anyone have any information on this? I didn't notice any "Not for Export" stickers on the box, and the ITAR does cover spread-spectrum technology. So is it analog or digital? Is it just doing simple analog tricks, or is it encrypting a bitstream? Clipper maybe? I doubt it. Any info appreciated. Dan
*************************************************************** #define private public dan@milliways.org Worcester Polytechnic Institute and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe ***************************************************************
-- sameer Voice: 510-601-9777 Community ConneXion FAX: 510-601-9734 The Internet Privacy Provider Dialin: 510-658-6376 http://www.c2.org/ (or login as "guest") sameer@c2.org
What about cellular phones, especially GSM? As I have heard GSM is supposed to be secure, at least thats what the salespersons tell every time they are selling a GSM.
I know ciphering algorithms A3, A8 and A5 are used in GSM phones, but I know nothing more about them.
I got the following from mjos@math.jyu.fi a couple of months ago. Unfortunately I was unable to attend or listen on mbone. Does anyone know more about this?
University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory
SEMINAR SERIES
10th October Bill Chambers, King's College, London PROBLEMS OF STREAM CIPHER GENERATORS WITH MUTUAL CLOCK CONTROL
..
GSM:n salausalgoritmi on juuri tuota tyyppiä. Chambers yritti pitää tuota nimenomaista esitelmää jo yli vuosi sitten, mutta silloin viralliset tahot puuttuivat asiaan ja esitys peruttiin. Hän on löytänyt algoritmista aukkoja, joiden avulla purkuaika saadaan erittäin lyhyeksi.
ps. ne meistä, jotka pääsevät mboneen käsiksi, voivat seurata tapahtumia livenä :)
[Free translation: The GSM encryption algorithm is of exactly that type. Chambers tried to have this particular presentation over an year ago, but at that time the official side interfered and the presentation was cancelled. He has found holes in the algorithm that can be used to make decryption (without key) very quick. PS. Those of us who can get access to mbone, can follow it live.] Tatu
I got the following from mjos@math.jyu.fi a couple of months ago. Unfortunately I was unable to attend or listen on mbone. Does anyone know more about this?
Yes -- we have analogue A/V on a VHS cassette, digital MBone recording on M/O, and an abstract ... see below.
University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory SEMINAR SERIES 10th October Bill Chambers, King's College, London PROBLEMS OF STREAM CIPHER GENERATORS WITH MUTUAL CLOCK CONTROL GSM:n salausalgoritmi on juuri tuota tyyppiä. Chambers yritti pitää tuota nimenomaista esitelmää jo yli vuosi sitten, mutta silloin viralliset tahot puuttuivat asiaan ja esitys peruttiin. Hän on löytänyt algoritmista aukkoja, joiden avulla purkuaika saadaan erittäin lyhyeksi. ps. ne meistä, jotka pääsevät mboneen käsiksi, voivat seurata tapahtumia livenä :)
[Free translation: The GSM encryption algorithm is of exactly that type. Chambers tried to have this particular presentation over an year ago, but at that time the official side interfered and the presentation was cancelled. He has found holes in the algorithm that can be used to make decryption (without key) very quick. PS. Those of us who can get access to mbone, can follow it live.]
<TITLE>Security Group Seminar, 10th October 1995</TITLE> <H1>Security Group Seminar, 10th October 1995</H1> <HR> <DL> <DT>Speaker: <DD>Bill Chambers, King's College, University of London<P> <DT>Date: <DD>Tuesday 10th October<P> <DT>Place: <DD>Room TP4, Computer Laboratory<P> <DT>Title: <DD>PROBLEMS OF STREAM CIPHER GENERATORS WITH MUTUAL CLOCK CONTROL<P> </DL> The speaker has been looking at the cycle structure of an algorithm posted just over a year ago on the Internet and alleged to be the secret A5 algorithm used for confidentiality in the GSM mobile telephone system. This algorithm employs three mutually clock-controlled shift registers, and can fairly quickly enter a loop with what is essentially the shortest possible period, a number very small compared with the total number of states, or even its square root. Moreover this behaviour is robust, not being influenced by factors such as choice of primitive feedback polynomial or even clocking logic (with a proviso to be discussed). A fairly straightforward explanation for this behaviour has been found. Some ways of getting around the problem of excessively short periods are considered, as well as the behaviour of systems with different numbers of mutually clocked registers. In particular a mention is made of the wartime T52e cipher, perhaps the inspiration for "alleged A5".<P>
participants (5)
-
dan＠milliways.org -
Jyri Kaljundi -
Piete Brooks -
sameer -
Tatu Ylonen