parnass@ihu1h.UUCP (Bob Parnass, AJ9S) (12/05/85)
x US Radio Security Breached, Reagan Warned from November 24, 1985 Chicago Sun-Times Chris Chrystal WASHINGTON - Drug traffickers and international terror- ists can tune in to supposedly secret radio frequencies used by the Secret Service, the FBI and even Air Force One, two members of Congress said. Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Glenn L. English (D-Okla.) said thousands of radio frequencies were found among evidence seized in a Florida drug bust Sept. 13. English described the frequencies - some top secret, including those used by President Reagan's airplane and limousine - as "a very serious breach of communications security." He and DeConcini asked Reagan to call for a National Security Council investigation of radio security compromises, and to ask the Drug Enforcement Policy Board to review civilian law enforcement communica- tions. "We don't know how much of our intelligence community may be monitored," DeConicini said. The list of exposed frequencies shows the United States has "lagged far behind in communications security," they said. "The technology is there, but the emphasis by the administration is not," DeConcini said, adding that if communications security isn't tightened, the president's own safety could be jeopardized. Scrambling radio transmissions, an effective security tool, is not widely done because of the need for agen- cies to share information while still protecting their own, DeConcini said. In February, 1980, federal agents in New Orleans seized a motor home outfitted with scanners monitoring 250 channels. Some were being used to transmit information on drug enforcement activities. -- =============================================================================== Bob Parnass, Bell Telephone Laboratories - ihnp4!ihu1h!parnass - (312)979-5414
ptb@mitre-bedford.ARPA (12/10/85)
SUPER-DUPER-FLAME-THROWER on: This lack of communications security by even the highest people in the administration is PATHETIC! If someone with illegal drug traffic is concerned about getting caught and has effectively (I guess) bugged the government to find out what is going on, imagine what the Russians will be (or are) doing. I can understand the need for inter-agency transfer of information, but come on guys, there's gotta be a better solution. Perhaps having common scramblers and having an inter-agency encryption code coordinated through the National Telecommunications Policy Office or something. That way, at least it can be kept out of the public's (and any enemys') hands. Sorry, putting that "in the clear" sounds just plain irresponsible in my mind. Neither will it do to outlaw the scanners, because that will mean that only the governments that really WANT TO look around will be doing so, and it will give those who are transmitting all of this information kind of a false sense of security. Not only that, but what do you do with all of the people who already have scanners, tell them that it is illegal to use them? How do you enforce it? Do you resort to "arbritrary" search and seizure to find homes with scanners installed? The only real solution is to encrypt anything sensitive. 73 de Peter (ptb@mitre-bedford) The opinions expressed herein are my own, and not necessarily that of my employer. (Hey, getting the opinions of my employer means that the company has to be hired.... <<=== This might not be a bad idea.) SUPER-DUPER-FLAME-THROWER OFF