MoD unfazed by satellite phone encryption crack

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-threats/2012/02/08/mod-unfazed-by-satellite-phone-encryption-crack-40095002/

By Tom Espiner
ZDNet UK
8 February, 2012

The Ministry of Defence has said a satellite phone encryption crack by 
researchers will not affect UK military use of satellite phones.

The crack of the A5-GMR-1 and A5-GMR-2 encryption algorithms will not 
affect military operations, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) told ZDNet UK 
on Wednesday.

"All military users of mobile satellite communication systems are aware 
of the potential threats to such systems and are briefed explicitly that 
they are only authorised to pass unclassified information (both voice 
and data) over these systems," an MoD spokeswoman said in an email 
statement. "Protected information is never sent over an unclassified 
system, unless it is being employed in conjunction with an accredited 
secure device."

ZDNet UK understands that the MoD requires additional encryption to 
transmit classified information.

MI5 and the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) declined to comment on use 
of satellite phones by the intelligence services. "We don't comment on 
operational security cases," a spokeswoman for the intelligence services 
told ZDNet UK on Tuesday.

[...]


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