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IP: Secnet11 an 802.11b clone with Type 1 crypto
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2002 04:23:07 -0400
------ Forwarded Message From: "Arnold G. Reinhold" <reinhold () world std com> Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 21:15:13 -0400 To: cryptography () wasabisystems com Subject: Secnet11 an 802.11b clone with Type 1 crypto Harris Corporation is about to release its wireless LAN PCcard card based on IEEE-802.11b (WiFi) technology, but using NSA approved Type 1 (ok for classified data) encryption. Harris has a web site for the product at http://www.secnet11.com with a spec sheet and a briefing. Some highlights: o The card sticks out of the computer with two antennae poking up. o It uses an NSA encryption algorithm called BATON (from various stuff on the Web, I get the impression that BATTON is a 64-bit block cipher with 128-bit keys that is designed for very fast operation) o the message address is encrypted to prevent traffic analysis (this is a big selling point vs VPN technology, tho I suspect an adversary could learn quite a bit about a wireless net using a sniffer and one or more directional antennae to count how many packets come from each direction) o Each packet has an 80-bit IV (it's rare to learn even that much about a Type 1 encryption system) o Cards cost $2770 each. That's 30X commercial WiFi card, but cheaper than traditional NSA encryption data products which seem to run around $5K per node. o "Red keys" are loaded via a special cable that connects to a data transfer device such as the CYZ-10. o Harris is taking orders for August delivery. It would seem that a commercial product using AES instead of BATON (and at a more reasonable price) would be of some value. Arnold Reinhold --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Cryptography Mailing List Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to majordomo () wasabisystems com ------ End of Forwarded Message For archives see: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
Current thread:
- IP: Secnet11 an 802.11b clone with Type 1 crypto Dave Farber (Jun 18)
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- Re: IP: Secnet11 an 802.11b clone with Type 1 crypto David Farber (Jun 18)