Encrypted DMR

[iscanvnc2]

Is there such a thing?

 

[doctordialtone]

Is there such a thing?

Encrypted Radio Communications with DMR Privacy Modes - LaSorsa & Associates - Executive Protection - Training - Consulting - Investigations

In a previous article ‘2-Way Radios & Communicating in Protective Services‘ we discussed radio options and other communicating techniques. One of the primary issues most security practitioners face when communicating with 2-way radios is the lack of secure communication. This article is meant to...

www.lasorsa.com

Radio Encryption - TacticalRepeater.com

OPSEC and COMSEC 2020 update Two key elements in Tactical Operations are OPSEC (operational security) and COMSEC (communications security). Though quite different in overall meaning, both terms go hand in hand and you can not achieve one without the other. OPSEC means the security of the...

www.tacticalrepeater.com

 

[626hawkeye]

Yes my local school district went encrypted to protect the children's identities from listeners.

 

[N0UJT]

Is there such a thing?

Yes, Motorola includes it in most new radios.. There are several variations and upgrades available

 

[iscanvnc2]

Thanks, all. That may explain why I'll program my 996P2 with two supposedly DMR freqs found by search & one will have audio, the other won't.
On one LG freq in the area very infrequently there will be a word or two then no audio while still a strong signal. 99.9% of the time it's just a strong signal with CC & SL.

 

[N0UJT]

Not sure if it's applicable in this case, but DMR can have two time slots, so one frequency can have essentially two simultaneous conversations (I'm not familiar enough with that scanner to know how it handles that). Also DMR can carry data, as opposed to voice. Sometimes voice on Time Slot 1 and data (like GPS tracking) on time slot 2. And of course either or both could be encrypted.

 

[Giddyuptd]

Kenwood offers aes, des, arc4 for dmr, as well as nxdn encryption and p25.

With digital like nxdn and dmr you can restrict also what two way is programmed up onto a system to receive audio and prohibit it leaving those to scanners.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Is there such a thing?

yes there is. RC4 also known as Enhanced Privacy on Motorola gear. Motorola won’t sell AES in North American their DMR offerings.
Every other major LMR manufacturer offers AES. Other manufacturers offer RC4. It’s a broke joke though.

 

[TailGator911]

I monitor DMR at a nearby shopping mall and have made note of a few things. Security at the mall is in the clear (DMR UHF), but some of the undercover loss prevention employees at certain outlets (Macys, Elder Beerman, JC Penneys) are encrypted when observing a suspect and communicating with their dispatch. Lots of DMR in that area, the Fairfield Mall is a beehive of activity for radio only a few miles away. Lots of action in the parking lot, too. Makes for entertaining evenings during the holiday shopping season.

 

[bill4long]

Other manufacturers offer RC4. It’s a broke joke though.

Well, it depends. It's just fine if all you need is encryption so that criminals cannot listen in real time.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Yes there certainly is. And although it irritates us hobbyists to hear it, some of us refer to the garbling as "R2D2"

 

[Ubbe]

Uniden scanners mutes and continues scan on everything it thinks are encrypted during normal scan. But if you are in search mode, or enter the frequency directly to listen to it, it will unmute and you can hear the encrypted digital signal when it is decoded to analog, but of course not decrypted. On Whistler scanners you have the option to mute or listen to the encrypted signal, or play a busy tone, but cannot automaticly continue to scan.

/Ubbe

 

[iscanvnc2]

Great info from all the above! Thanks for answering my inquire.