[2775] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: DRUDGE-REPORT-EXCLUSIVE 5/20/98 (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Cerberus Systems, Inc.)
Thu May 28 13:05:33 1998
Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 10:41:52 -0400
To: cryptography@c2.net
From: "Cerberus Systems, Inc." <infosec@cerberus-sys.com>
In-Reply-To: <v03130301b19297cb63fa@[24.128.118.45]>
At 09:28 AM 5/28/98 -0400, Arnold Reinhold wrote:
>At 9:00 PM -0400 5/27/98, Dave Emery wrote:
>
>>... And having much of the software
>>uploaded aviods the problems caused by cosmic ray events that flip
>>bits in roms - one really wants to keep the rom part of the code very
>>small.
>>
>> Hardware crypto provides protection for the code upload, and
>>aviods sending crypto code or keys over a link that could be possibly
>>be compromised.
>>
>
>I am surprised that there aren't any radiation reliable ROMs built using
>error correcting codes, but if one cannot rely on ROM to hold a loader big
>enough to check a public key signature, then I have to concede. Hardware
>encryption would be the only way to go. Thanks for the explanation.
>
>Arnold Reinhold
>
>
>
Arnold:
Cerberus Systems was recently asked by a space systems manufacturer (under
NDA, so I'll not mention names) about assisting them with the encryption
and authentication to be incorporated in the command and telemetry data
_software_ modules for their response to an international RFP.
Apparently, the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems "greenbook"
mandates no link encryption, in order to prevent interferring with
standardized lower level protocol layers, but also requires encryption and
authentication for command security.
When we asked about megaRAD hardened integrated circuit requirements, we
were told that "other techniques" were deemed sufficient to permit use of
commercial microprocessors.
Apparently the influence of DoD's shift towards "COTS" (Commercial
Off-The-Shelf) is spreading to the commercial part of the space world, if
not the DoD part.
Regards,
Al
_________________________________________________
INFOSEC Products
Cerberus Systems, Inc.
Encryption Software that Windows=AE won't bypass -
http://www.cerberus-sys.com/~infosec/
_________________________________________________
