DES Encryption- Is it still supported?

[mkewman]

I just came across a fed frequency using DES. I coulda sworn i read that the feds aren't supposed to use it anymore or should've migrated to P25 or something. Can anyone clarify?

 

[kwrxxx]

The new Standard for the Federal government is AES, do a Google search for it. DES is still widely used by agencies until they can upgrade their equipment.

 

[mkewman]

i thought the standard was APCO25

 

[Squad10]

If what you heard is Motorola encryption, the Motorola Quantar fixed station equipment is capable of receiving and transmitting analog, Securenet, and Astro.

This capability allows the station to detect whether the received call is digital or analog and repeat it in the appropiate mode.

When I lived in San Diego, I heard very little Motorola Securenet, majority was P25.

 

[LEH]

The P25 is a standard for DIGITAL transmission. The AES and DES are standards to ENCRYPT the transmitted data.

A good example is the York County TRS system. It is an APCO P25 system, requiring a digital scanner to listen to it, when the transmissions are not encrypted. The encryption sounds like squacks and screeches, the digital like the machine gun.

 

[N_Jay]

i thought the standard was APCO25

APCO 25 CAI
AES Encryption (Using P25 standards)

 

[mkewman]

APCO 25 CAI
AES Encryption (Using P25 standards)

ahh... now it makes sense.

thanks!

 

[WayneH]

Customs and the standard 165.2375 are still rolling along with analog encryption. FBI in California is still using securenet also.

FWIW, Quantar repeaters only do analog/securenet or analog/digital. The newest releases of the firmware only support analog and/or digital. Securenet is no longer an option and went out after V20.10.x

 

[Squad10]

165.2375 in Chicago went digital about 6-9 months ago, and has not nearly the traffic when it was clear analog/Securenet. I have not heard 166.5875 the OTAR channel for certain agencies for a long time (was in SD for about 3 years).

I receive a certain federal frequency in Chicago in clear analog, Securenet and digital. DFE/RSSI has lead me to believe that it is from one station....but I guess it makes sense that two stations would be at the same site if they are both both limited by the version you mention, and that old portables and mobiles are still in use with new digital.

 

[ISP911]

Happened to catch one of the local FBI repeaters active yesterday (167.2375?) still rolling DES encryption.

 

[ecps92]

$$$

It takes $$$ to convert all the systems, across the entire country.

You milage will vary, but some are finished, others not, and...wow a new UHF 406 Channels in Boston is Analog.

Guess it depends on the Agency and the funding as well as the priority.

I just came across a fed frequency using DES. I coulda sworn i read that the feds aren't supposed to use it anymore or should've migrated to P25 or something. Can anyone clarify?

 

[Audiodave1]

DES-XL is king in the Philly region for those that are not P25. There is some AES.