Listening to OpenSky transmissions

[cybersec]

I've been looking around a bit and have read a lot of old info about OpenSky being "unscannable" and "uncrackable". Has any progress been made since then to either crack the protocol or make a scanner thats able to scan it?

Also, what makes it "unscannable"? Is it possible to buy an official OpenSky unit and tune it to your local LE's frequency to listen, as long as it's unencrypted?

- Cybersec

 

[RayAir]

I've been looking around a bit and have read a lot of old info about OpenSky being "unscannable" and "uncrackable". Has any progress been made since then to either crack the protocol or make a scanner thats able to scan it?

Also, what makes it "unscannable"? Is it possible to buy an official OpenSky unit and tune it to your local LE's frequency to listen, as long as it's unencrypted?

- Cybersec

Nope and it appears there will likely never be a way to listen to OpenSky due to its proprietary nature and the fact that it isn't very popular.

Even if you bought an OpenSky capable radio and somehow managed to get software you're still SOL as you would need to know the trunking, talk group info and whatever else is required.

It gets worse, most programming is done OTA. When you first turn on your O/S radio it has to authenticate to the system as a valid subscriber. The radio then downloads the authorized talk groups. For instance, a Sgt. could log on to any O/S radio on the system and it would download the command talk groups, etc that line officers wouldn't get with their log on. The radio can be set to auto log on or to require a user password/ID.

Each radio has its own IP address and 10 digit number (XXX-XXX-XXXX). The first three are like an "area code", the second three digits are the agency code, and the last four digits are a random number.

AES encryption can be used to protect the voice and data traffic and is also extended over the back end.

I have read reports of system problems from other agencies that attempted to deploy OpenSky. I assume you're wanting to listen to Oakland County's O/S system. They have the system working very good. The coverage is great, even with a portable and the voice quality is exceptional.

Interop with the MPSCS could be improved a little, but besides that it is a great countywide system that likely will be in service for years to come.

But unfortunately, there is no known way to monitor it without having an authorized radio.

 

[krokus]

Interop with the MPSCS could be improved a little, but besides that it is a great countywide system that likely will be in service for years to come.

That is an understatement. Trying to work with the Oakland assets is a hassle.

To add onto the rest of the post, if encryption is used, then it is illegal to decode, as well as damn near impossible. I hope to try and decode the data stream, when I have some spare time, and a few more resources. (I am hoping that the data stream is not encrypted.)

Sent via Tapatalk

 

[cybersec]

That is an understatement. Trying to work with the Oakland assets is a hassle.

To add onto the rest of the post, if encryption is used, then it is illegal to decode, as well as damn near impossible. I hope to try and decode the data stream, when I have some spare time, and a few more resources. (I am hoping that the data stream is not encrypted.)

Sent via Tapatalk

Nope and it appears there will likely never be a way to listen to OpenSky due to its proprietary nature and the fact that it isn't very popular.

Even if you bought an OpenSky capable radio and somehow managed to get software you're still SOL as you would need to know the trunking, talk group info and whatever else is required.

It gets worse, most programming is done OTA. When you first turn on your O/S radio it has to authenticate to the system as a valid subscriber. The radio then downloads the authorized talk groups. For instance, a Sgt. could log on to any O/S radio on the system and it would download the command talk groups, etc that line officers wouldn't get with their log on. The radio can be set to auto log on or to require a user password/ID.

Each radio has its own IP address and 10 digit number (XXX-XXX-XXXX). The first three are like an "area code", the second three digits are the agency code, and the last four digits are a random number.

AES encryption can be used to protect the voice and data traffic and is also extended over the back end.

I have read reports of system problems from other agencies that attempted to deploy OpenSky. I assume you're wanting to listen to Oakland County's O/S system. They have the system working very good. The coverage is great, even with a portable and the voice quality is exceptional.

Interop with the MPSCS could be improved a little, but besides that it is a great countywide system that likely will be in service for years to come.

But unfortunately, there is no known way to monitor it without having an authorized radio.

Well it appears RadioReference has all of that information already - correct me if I'm wrong.

CLEMIS (OakWIN) Public Safety Communications Trunking System, Oakland County, Michigan - Scanner Frequencies

Isn't that everything you guys were talking about? It shows them all as unencrypted digital talk groups, and even lists talkgroup names and frequencies...

Isn't that everything you would need to program an OpenSky radio to listen to them?

 

[RayAir]

Well it appears RadioReference has all of that information already - correct me if I'm wrong.

CLEMIS (OakWIN) Public Safety Communications Trunking System, Oakland County, Michigan - Scanner Frequencies

Isn't that everything you guys were talking about? It shows them all as unencrypted digital talk groups, and even lists talkgroup names and frequencies...

Isn't that everything you would need to program an OpenSky radio to listen to them?

Any of what is in the RR database regarding OpenSky is of no use. That is the basic structure of the system, but it is missing a lot.

What you see has been either submitted by a system tech or system user. It wasn't submitted by someone with a scanner, or DSD+.

 

[RayAir]

That is an understatement. Trying to work with the Oakland assets is a hassle.

To add onto the rest of the post, if encryption is used, then it is illegal to decode, as well as damn near impossible. I hope to try and decode the data stream, when I have some spare time, and a few more resources. (I am hoping that the data stream is not encrypted.)

Sent via Tapatalk

Countywide interop between agencies is as simple as using CW_1. Every radio has countywide talk groups in their home profile. ALL_DISP will broadcast to every dispatch center in the county.

Macomb interop has been much improved over the last couple months.

This system is secure. Money says no one will be able to passively eavesdrop on it.

 

[krokus]

Isn't that everything you guys were talking about? It shows them all as unencrypted digital talk groups, and even lists talkgroup names and frequencies...

Isn't that everything you would need to program an OpenSky radio to listen to them?

Not if the control channels are encrypted.

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[kayn1n32008]

Isn't that everything you would need to program an OpenSky radio to listen to them?

OpenSky does not work that way. The radio MUST be authenticated by the network before it will pass audio. OpenSky can NOT be passively monitored with an OpenSky subscriber unit. Period.


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[Forts]

Well it appears RadioReference has all of that information already - correct me if I'm wrong.

CLEMIS (OakWIN) Public Safety Communications Trunking System, Oakland County, Michigan - Scanner Frequencies

Isn't that everything you guys were talking about? It shows them all as unencrypted digital talk groups, and even lists talkgroup names and frequencies...

Isn't that everything you would need to program an OpenSky radio to listen to them?

You are missing what Ray_Air posted previously. OpenSky radios only have a minimal amount of programming in them (basically the bare bones system info). When powered up they log into the system and get provisioned over the air (as previously mentioned, what talkgroups it's allowed to access etc etc). This programming isn't done one radio at a time with a PC like other trunking systems. You can't just buy a radio, program in talkgroup 1234 and away you go. OpenSky doesn't work that way. When you look at the OpenSky tab in RPM there isn't a whole lot there to play with.