Re: encrypted cellphones

[Rishab Aiyer Ghosh <rishab@best.com>]

> I would say GSM security is still better than nothing. The problem is of 
> course that only tha radio link is encrypted, not the connection out into 
> public telephone network.

As I remember from discussions with a GSM encryption programmer
(which I posted to this list months ago) GSM is secure enough to prevent
real-time decryption, as keys are changed frequently using another
secure protocol (A8 I believe). GSM  encryption is only supposed
to make people like Princess Diana more secure, that's all. This was
enough for Pakistan to temporarily shut down Motorola's GSM network
in Karachi last February, until they discovered they could
intercept calls simpply by sitting at the base stations where
they're decrypted...

Rishab


> Juri Kaljundi, DigiMarket
> jk@digit.ee
>