Russia hacked lightweight FBI radios

[kayn1n32008]

Originally AES 256 was full blown Type 1, can't own it, etc. With further reading it appears it was downgraded to a Type 1 "Suite B" then bundled into a newer category called "Commercial National Security Algorithm" which can even be exported under certain conditions.

I have radios with AES 128 and have never had to worry about those.

Yet Tait, Hytera and Anytone are selling radios capable of AES256.

you can buy AES capable Mototrbo products from Europe and Asia that have AES256.

The time of stopping AES256 from getting outside of North America is long gone, never mind the cipher is not even an American product.

 

[kayn1n32008]

There is a lot of interesting research going on regarding "side attacks" to AES256. One is actually more successful (but impractical) on AES256 than AES128. AES will be a continuing target of researchers trying to spill its guts.

So far the AES cipher has resisted all known attacks.

If AES128/192/256 is defeated with a truly random key variable by an intelligence agency, we won’t know, if it’s defeated by researchers, or non-government affiliated folks, it will be revealed rather fast IMHO.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

You can be sure that the NSA is working on it right as we speak. If not, they have already figured it out!

 

[kayn1n32008]

256 bit AES is a Type 1 classified level encryption and not legal to own or use by us mortal humans. It would require an account with the NSA and an authorized custodian for the equipment.

Might want to give HSI/DHS about Motorola offering AES256 in Europe and Asia...

 

[prcguy]

It was a big deal at one time, apparently not any more. I read the developers predicted about 20 to 30yr lifespan before it would need replacement, meaning it was compromised.

Might want to give HSI/DHS about Motorola offering AES256 in Europe and Asia...

 

[krokus]

The confusion here is that an item must be "appropriately keyed" for it to retain Type 1 CCI. Once it is zeroized it can be disposed of, sent to depot etc without concern. However, export from US is controlled and restricted for such an item. The Fascinator and Vinson are old exceptions where the feds went out of their way to recover the hardware items. They would be very busy today to trying to scoop up AES256 hardware now that it is a part of P25 and being used by many public safety agencies.

Items can be, or are, CCI without being loaded, which is determined by the controlling auhority. Once loaded, the equipment is classified to the level of the key's classification. When zeroized, the equipment is returned to CCI, or "high value electronics" status. (Whichever applies.)

 

[poltergeisty]

Look here under Type 1 product: NSA cryptography - Wikipedia

"A Type 1 Product refers to an NSA endorsed classified or controlled cryptographic item for classified or sensitive U.S. government information, including cryptographic equipment, assembly or component classified or certified by NSA for encrypting and decrypting classified and sensitive national security information when appropriately keyed". VINSON and Fascinator encryption share the same category.

Then look up Type 3 products further down on the page and you will find the earlier AES 128 flavor which is bundled with DES, etc. A Type 3 product is "Unclassified cryptographic equipment, assembly, or component used, when appropriately keyed, for encrypting or decrypting unclassified sensitive U.S. Government or commercial information, and to protect systems requiring protection mechanisms consistent with standard commercial practices. A Type 3 Algorithm refers to NIST endorsed algorithms, registered and FIPS published, for sensitive but unclassified U.S. government and commercial information".

If you, a regular human is in possession of a Type 1 encryption device, its supposed to be under control of a custodian and someone would be in trouble for loosing control of it. If the US Govt finds out you have a Type 1 device you can get a visit from someone in the Govt to fetch it back. This happens a lot with military radio collectors.

I think you're confusing the modules and what have you that are used for the Feds AES 256 uses vs that of someone using AES 256 for full disk encryption, a VPN or even a TLS website certificate. I have many programs that use AES 256 both for encrypted text, SFX archives and stenography. Then I run a Team Speak server for my own use that I connect to with a VPN that uses, you guessed it, AES256. Nice that I don't have to port forward...

Anyway, when I was reading about AES 256 on Wikipedia several months ago it made mention of certain "modules" and what have you and that's probably what you are eluding to. I guess a module could be a KVL or what ever. I really have no idea. LOL All I know is that under Fort Mead is some acreage of super computers and God only knows what that power can do. Especially when the NSA is the largest employer of mathematicians in the world. Pretty crazy stuff. I have been reading on and off a book about the NSA and its set backs called The Secret Sentry and after learning about their set backs you just have to wonder how much damage Edward Snowden did. Unreal.

 

[a417]

Having a government-issued, controlled cryptographic module is one thing, and using something that can incorporate a NIST published FIPS standard encryption standard in a VPN is something else.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Having a government-issued, controlled cryptographic module is one thing, and using something that can incorporate a NIST published FIPS standard encryption standard in a VPN is something else.

Regardless, AES128/192/256 are NOT CCI ciphers. Hell the AES cipher wasn’t even developed by Americans. It was developed by two Dutch citizens, peer reviewed and accepted by NIST as FIPS 197. The name of the cipher is Rijndael, named after the two people that developed it.

 

[a417]

Regardless, AES128/192/256 are NOT CCI ciphers. Hell the AES cipher wasn’t even developed by Americans. It was developed by two Dutch citizens, peer reviewed and accepted by NIST as FIPS 197. The name of the cipher is Rijndael, named after the two people that developed it.

Right, I was pointing out the differences between a physical, tangible module and software running widely published code.