Encryption Comedy of Errors: Cracking the Code on Unintentional Backdoors!
ETSI’s encryption algorithms are in hot water again! The Dutch researchers who uncovered flaws in the TETRA standard have now found similar issues in the very end-to-end encryption ETSI recommended as a fix. Who knew encryption could come with built-in eavesdropping? Time to double-check your radio security settings!
Hot Take:
Who knew radios could be so chatty? While it seems like these encryption algorithms have more holes than Swiss cheese, at least the researchers are on the case. Maybe they should invite the ETSI folks to a cryptography boot camp. I hear they have a special on “How Not to Introduce Backdoors 101.” For now, it looks like some of these radios should come with a disclaimer: “Warning: Your secret conversations might not be so secret.”
Key Points:
- ETSI’s endorsed encryption algorithm for radios has a backdoor vulnerability, as do some end-to-end encryption solutions intended to fix it.
- The Dutch researchers found the TCCA’s end-to-end encryption starts with a 128-bit key but compresses it to 56 bits.
- Radios using these flawed encryptions are widely distributed among global police and military forces.
- ETSI and TCCA have long-standing ties, though ETSI claims no direct involvement in the faulty end-to-end encryption solution.
- There is ambiguity about which radio users might be aware of the vulnerabilities in their encryption systems.