[247] in Best-of-Security
BoS: Encrypting phones.
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Darren Reed)
Wed Jun 18 22:46:39 1997
From: Darren Reed <avalon@coombs.anu.edu.au>
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 22:26:38 +1000 (EST)
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To: best-of-security@suburbia.net
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I was reading in today's (Wednesday) Australian Financial Review about
some new phone, called "Easytalk(?)". With the push of a button, the
phone starts communicating using a undisclosed cypher algorithm (well,
shared amongst the Australian/British/USA/Canadian governments at least),
supposedly with 128 bit keys. The availability is limited to the
government or if you happen to be working for the government, they may
sponser you for one. The cost is between AUS$9000 and $10,000 each.
Currently, departments such as Foreign Affairs & Trade use them. They
were also used/provided for journalists covering the Australian Budget
preview (where they're debriefed by the Treasurer about what will be in
it in advance) who wanted to talk to peers in other "lockups".
Sorry about being vague, I saw the article about 12 hours ago (and didn't
pick up a copy during the day).
Darren
