December 14, 2024

This Week in Amateur Radio

North America's Premiere Amateur Radio News Magazine

via HACKADAY: Did TETRA Have a Backdoor Hidden In Encrypted Police And Military Radios?

Encrypted communications are considered vital for many organizations, from military users to law enforcement officers. Meanwhile, the ability to listen in on those communications is of great value to groups like intelligence agencies and criminal operators. Thus exists the constant arms race between those developing encryption and those desperately eager to break it.

In a startling revelation, cybersecurity researchers have found a potentially intentional backdoor in encrypted radios using the TETRA (TErrestrial Trunked RAdio) standard. TETRA equipment is used worldwide by law enforcement agencies, military groups, and critical infrastructure providers, some of which may have been unintentionally airing sensitive conversations for decades.