Voice Privacy and Interoperability: The Worlds Security Watchwords
by
For more than 50 years, the nations of Europe involved in the economic organization known as the European Union have had one main goal promote economic and social progress. The organization has reached significant milestones on this quest including the introduction of the Euro and forming a single economic market which has further asserted Europes role in the world.
This exchange of information across borders is not only a significant international business evolution, but it is also a burgeoning concern for governments and their agencies.
As the effects of September 11 have been dramatic in the United States, nations around the world have begun to intensely focus on national security and their own homeland defense efforts. For each nation, this frequently involves empowering its agency personnel with the ability to communicate securely to efficiently share information. Occasionally this even requires governments needing to develop a plan for communication with neighboring countries in the event of a need for future cooperation.
As nations capitalize on the need for improved national defense strategies, many are seriously examining their current radio communications infrastructure and whether it will meet demands on two fronts voice privacy and interoperability. Voice privacy technology scrambles critical communications to keep out virtually all eavesdroppers, enabling information to be shared with complete confidence. Interoperability ensures that multiple jurisdictions can communicate and share information to address the needs of a nations public safety community both tactically and strategically.
Transcrypt Voice Security Modules are used to secure
communications during tactical military operations
Voice Privacy Focused on Flexibility
Voice privacy solution providers have been seeing increased interest in various scrambling technology and a number of new vendors in this space have begun developing solutions over the past two years. However, nations that plan to update a voice privacy solution should look for a company with a proven track record of innovation, not just an idea. In matters of voice security, reliability and dependability are key to risk reduction.
For example, after-market scrambling modules are hardware solutions that can be added on to radios being used in the field at a fraction of the cost of investing in new radio infrastructure or subscriber units. At an international level, this market is rather mature, yet growth opportunities exist through the offering of a suite of features that offer multiple capabilities in systems management, security management and flexibility.
Transcrypt voice privacy modules are installed within the
radio and do not add to the radios size or weight.
Sometimes agencies have to bring radios into a radio maintenance shop and physically connect via a cable to the radio or connect directly to the scrambler in order to make any changes. Managing systems in that way is a major liability to a law enforcement agency or a para-military group, for example. One of the key developments in encryption systems management involves the development of remote management capabilities. Over the air re-programmability (OTAR) allows a systems manager to manage all of the scramblers remotely. They can update all of the security codes in a secure manner from a centralized office location that has access to the radio systems, similar to a dispatch center.
Additional systems management features to consider include automated number identification (ANI) which provides information about who is transmitting in a particular time period a good tracking mechanism. Selective Calling allows a dispatcher to call to a particular unit and let them know that someone is requesting a transmission.
Scrambler and security management features in encryption solutions offer agencies the ability to change security parameters on a regular basis to ensure that information remains secure. Scramble code management is significant so that when a system becomes impaired or an unauthorized person gets a hold of an encrypted radio, a forced scramble code change across the system can take place. Some scramblers have the ability to hold up to 16 codes at once in memory. These codes can be changed one at a time or all at once, across single units or multiple units. Thus, managers can request acknowledgements from the scrambler to verify that it is active and has valid security codes. If an agency official suspects that Radio 1234 has been appropriated by an adversary, a radio kill feature allows disablement of the radio remotely using OTAR preventing a security breach.
Radio systems have many limitations that are based on how the radio infrastructure was first implemented, so most government agencies, first responders and law enforcement/military organizations will want to look for solutions that offer users maximum flexibility. Radio communication investments can be expensive and buyers will want field personnel to be able to use all the features of their radio systems without having any interference with the scrambler on the system. Some of the flexibility features offered in encryption modules include button reassignment and emergency signaling. For example, the scrambler mode selection can be made from an assignable radio button, allowing you to easily switch between clear and coded transmissions.
When selecting an encryption solution, it is important to note that only a few solution providers offer the majority of these features to potential international government customers. Even though many of these features are only minor conveniences, providing all of them in a single package offers the maximum level of management at both the systems and security level, as well as flexibility of functionality.
Further, solutions should be upgradeable over time. A nation may stretch their dollars in the beginning by equipping themselves with a low or medium security level and then later have the option of upgrading to higher security when the threats increase or when budget allocations become available. Some providers offer an upgrade pass that customers can use to purchase an upgrade to reach a particular encryption level. This is an additional item of flexibility offered by some providers.
Strength and reliability of encryption solutions are often put to the test. Military applications require frequent changes of security codes due to more sensitive applications. In one field application, an international customer is using the OTAR functionality to remotely change the codes. This organization no longer has to bring in the troops to central stations, and that is the major driving force on why they selected a versatile scrambler.
Transcrypts Modem provides Over-The-Air-Reprogramming (OTAR) capabilities
Interoperability Promotes International Cooperation
As nations begin to task government agencies to work together in more cooperative ways, interoperability of radio communications plays a significant role in making this happen. It is unfortunate that we must continually look to September 11 as the driver of change in public safety communications, yet the events of that day did in fact point out shortcomings in both strategic and tactical communications interoperability to organizations and nations around the world.
Radio infrastructure is fairly costly and takes time to establish the option of building out a new infrastructure is not one to be taken lightly. It requires significant planning and in most cases, agencies wouldnt see a complete change-out of hardware on a frequent basis, similar to what occurs in faster moving technology markets like personal computers.
In addition to full infrastructure upgrades, many land mobile radio manufacturers have been developing tactical interoperability solutions. Rather than needing a full build-out of interoperable radios and repeaters, these solutions offer users an immediate solution that can be used in the field and is compatible with almost any radio system. For example, Latin American nations have expressed interest in these types of solutions because they have been unable to build out the complex infrastructure necessary for truly interoperable solutions.
These plug-and-play interoperability devices enable users the simplicity of plugging in cables at one point and radios at another point, and being able to communicate over disparate radio frequencies. In the middle of a police incident or a forest fire, the issue is how quickly can a system be made interoperable. Are you ready in minutes vs. hours or days after plugging radios into an interoperability command center, programming it, and getting everything set up before being able to communicate?
Here the savings are not only in cost, but potentially lives and property. The most critical time for interoperability is at the very beginning tactical interoperability solutions give an advantage right from the start, in a matter of minutes.
Another benefit of these types of solutions is the ability to provide a quick and dirty way to extend range. By basically doubling the range of what one radio can do, it acts as a repeater in its simplest form, which is attractive to many international agencies.
It makes sense for smaller nations which occasionally work with neighboring countries to invest in simple and cost effective interoperability kits rather than expensive and permanent interoperability infrastructure. For example, a small countrys national security force or police force may need to temporarily interoperate with a neighboring country because they have received a threat from a common enemy, or perhaps there is a border incident. Naturally these nations do not operate on the same radio frequency and will need assistance in achieving interoperability.
Transcrypts Transpeater III serves as a portable
repeater and is also used for crossbanding
Where Do We Go From Here?
In the United States a system level discussion regarding Project 25 interoperability standards has been dominant over the past two years, yet many nations around the world have not embraced Project 25 as a solution for their interoperability requirements due to basic infrastructure costs. Solution providers have been demonstrating a larger focus on strengthening the features and functionality of after-market voice privacy modules.
International law enforcement officials and other public safety workers have had their hands full just dealing with the new threats each day brings. Governments are focused on providing reliable and flexible encryption and interoperability solutions to these users. They have begun to recognize the urgent need for collaboration and information sharing is written into the credo of the era of homeland security in the US, Europe and around the globe.