IP: USAF - GPS Civil Crypto to Stop Terrorists

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

I found this interesting both for the proposal and more so
from the implication that there are secrity holes in the
use of GPS .


Dave




 * Forwarded from the 36:EFF conference on the GW2K BBS.
 * Original from IN:INTERNET: HDUN11A@PROD to ** ALL ** dated 10-13-95.


A USAF Colonel has suggested that civilian encryption could be used to
secure GPS satellite transmissions.  Col. Mike Wiedemer made this
suggestion during the Institute of Navigation (ION) GPS-95 conference,
according to a paper published by Vis Sankaran and Donald Benson of
Dynamics Research Corp., Andover Maine.  Col. Wiedemer indicated that
WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) signals from the GPS system could
be encrypted for both civilian and military users.  The main purpose of
the encryption would be to increase civil aviation security against
terrorist threats.


The acceptance by military officials for the need of strong civilian
encryption is very apparent in the Wiedemer's bold suggestion.  In
fact, the Colonel's statements are a warning of things to come.  This
author has noted, in previous articles, several dangerous security
holes in civil aviation software.  Holes that should be filled with
encryption.  GPS and flight software are only one part of a larger
market.  For example, GPS is no longer limited to aircraft.  The
current use of GPS by law enforcement, rescue services and shipping
companies will soon be overshadowed by automotive, rail and trucking
applications.  The requirement for higher civilian security will grow
as the price of GPS units decrease.


Yet, this view is not shared by our current President.  His opposition
to encryption in the data processing, Internet, communications and
financial communities has already undermined security in those
industries.  The huge increase of monetary losses to hackers is a
direct result of his anti-encryption stand.  However, the financial
losses will soon be overshadowed by dead bodies.  President Clinton, in
a misguided effort to ban all encryption, continues to leave us with no
defense against terrorist attack.


Sources -
Aviation Week & Space Technology, OCT. 9, 1995 issue, Vol. 143, No. 15,
pages 56 and 57.


INFORMATION WARFARE by Winn Schwartau, 1994.


1 if by land, 2 if by sea - Paul Revere.  Civilian encryption in 1775.


Charles R. Smith
SOFTWAR  Richmond, VA       softwa19 () us net
web URL  http://www.shore.net/~adfx/2292.html