As usual in the theme of this edition we will analyze products and companies that carry out the difficult task of protecting communication requirements. The company invited on this occasion is Gold Line Group.
by Osvaldo Callegari*
From the beginning, the human being needed to relate to his peers. At that time the communication was valid to get food, take refuge or defend oneself. To the extent that reasoning was taking part of the rules of the game, man began to protect his actions by means of symbols so that others could not decipher his intentions. In the great world wars this factor increased and had a preponderant role in the outcome of them.
At present this paradigm has not been modified too much, the information is handled in a different way but with the same vulnerabilities. That is why we put on the table the privacy of communications, since there are leaks when two people talk on the phone regardless of their conditions. Although it is a sensitive issue with respect to events, they clearly show the need to be protected.
As usual in the column we take a case study of a technology applied to cell phones, which allows encrypting communications making these conversations unintelligible. For this we have considered a case study of the company Gold Line Group, which through its encryption product brings a solution to the demand for privacy in people.
Description of the problem
Cellular communications are routinely intercepted and recorded around the world by intelligence agencies, corrupt employees of telecommunications companies, kidnappers, industrial spies, terrorists, members of security forces operating outside the law, etc. In some cases these recordings are then used for nefarious purposes, including extortion, planning kidnappings and/or robberies, destruction of political careers, etc.
Military-grade encryption is the only effective method to combat the scourge related to illegal interception of communications. While telecom operators in some cases secure their communications in some segments of their networks, only peer-to-peer encryption provides complete security.
As usual in the subject of our column we analyze products and companies that carry out the difficult task of protecting communication requirements.
Gold Line Group, a company of Israeli origin, has more than 30 specialists with extensive experience in security software development, tactical mathematicians and militarily trained analysts in the field of encryption.
Laboratory interview
To expand on the problem of telephone infiltrations, we spoke with the CEO of the Gold Line Group company, Noam Copel, and with Laura Franco, responsible for channels in Latin America.
Q. Does this system only protect cell phones?
NC. The first versions of Gold Lock (up to version 5 inclusive) only allowed to secure communications between two cellular equipment. Gold Lock 3G, in addition to allowing secure communications between cellular equipment, extends the security scheme to personal computers with Windows operating system, and to fixed desktop phones (analog, digital, or SIP) connected through a Gold Lock PBX.
Q. Is it possible to establish a network of encrypted phones?
NC. This solution allows the user to configure their system flexibly, determining for example which computers can connect securely, whitelists, blacklists, etc.
Q. What do you think are the greatest strengths?
NC. Israeli Technology
6th generation (1st version in 2003)
We support versions for 3G and for CSD
Multi-platform (Nokia, Android, iPhone/iPad, BlackBerry, Windows, PBX)
Guarantee of non-existence of rear doors
Subscription and perpetual licensing
Inviolable security scheme, certified by third parties
Q. What about weaknesses?
NC. In some situations, significant latency can occur, depending primarily on network conditions, the platform used, and the processor of the cellular equipment. The product still doesn't work in multitasking mode on iPhones and iPads. iPhones and iPads only allow you to secure voice and chat communications, not SMS or file transfers.
Q. Has the system currently been breached?
NC. In addition to countless tests conducted by various entities around the world, Gold Lock has been the subject of an interesting challenge: On November 1, 2009, we used a commonly available sniffer package to record a ten-minute encrypted Gold Lock conversation between two members of our staff.
We then issued a worldwide challenge to cryptography experts, hackers and spies, inviting them to download the conversation, decrypt it and send us a transcript of it. The prize: $250,000 in gold, and a job position at Gold Line Group. More than 5,000 people and companies responded. They all failed.
Q. What are the levels of security and encryption that you apply?
NC. Gold Lock uses a three-layer hybrid scheme, using 16,384 Bits in the authentication process, then combining the following encryption algorithms: 384-Bit Elliptic Curve (7680-Bit RSA Equivalent), AES 256 Bits, Diffie Hellman 4096 Bits.
Q. Is it possible to use conventional telephone exchanges with the system?
NC. No, the security scheme can be extended to desk landlines only if a Gold Lock PBX is used. However, certain customers continue to use their conventional telephone exchanges, and incorporate the Gold Lock PBX as a gateway to secure a limited number of extensions.
Q. From a computer can I call a cell phone that uses the service?
NC. Yes. Gold Lock can be installed on personal computers with Windows XP, Vista, or 7 operating system, thus allowing secure communications between personal computers, and between a personal computer and a cell phone.
Q. What types of services does GOLD LOCK offer?
LF. Depending on the type of platform used, Gold Lock allows to secure: voice communications, SMS chat, file transmission
Q. Globally in which countries is the product present?
LF. With the exception of a group of countries for which the sale of this technology is prohibited, there are Gold Lock users in most countries of the world.
Q. Regarding the software. how often are licenses updated?
LF. While their licenses are active, users can access product updates, the frequency of which varies according to the type of platform. For example, it may happen that the software for Nokia computers is updated 3 or 4 times a year, and the iPhone only once or twice in the same period. Updates generally have to do with new functionality or with fixing interface issues detected for a specific computer.
Q. What are the services offered?
LF. Gold Lock 3G offers licensing schemes in perpetuity or by subscription, with monthly, 12-month, and 24-month licenses. If a customer lets their license expire and doesn't renew it, and then decides to renew it, they don't have to pay for the period during which their license wasn't active. Also, if you replace your cellular equipment for loss, theft, or breakage, you can move your active license free of charge to the replacement equipment.
Q. What type of customer is the product oriented towards?
LF. Some typical users are: Armed Forces, Intelligence Agencies, Security Forces, Financial Institutions, Political Parties, Journalists, Non-Governmental Organizations, Oil Companies, Pharmaceuticals, Law Firms.
Q. In the event that a Judge requires the opening of communications, is it possible for Gold Lock to do so, yes, no, why?
NC. No, the peer-to-peer security scheme with random keys does not allow you to decrypt a communication protected by Gold Lock.
Q. Is the installation of the product simple?, can it be done from a website?
NC. Yes. With the exception of iPhone and iPad, the software can be installed in over-the-air (OTA) mode on all other platforms. The installation and configuration process is extremely simple, and usually takes a few minutes.
Q. How many versions are available in the market.
LF. We currently support two CSD versions (Gold Lock 4 and Gold Lock 5), in addition to Gold Lock 3G.
Protocols used
The Diffie-Hellman protocol (created by Whitfield Diffie and Martin Hellman) allows the secret exchange of keys between two parties who had no previous contact, using an insecure channel, and anonymously (unauthenticated). It is generally used as a means to agree on symmetric keys that will be used for the encryption of a session. Although it is not authenticated, it provides the basis for several authenticated protocols. Its security lies in the extreme difficulty (conjectured, unproven) of calculating discrete logarithms in a finite field.
Product features
* Israeli Technology
* License from the Israeli Ministry of Defense
* Contractual commitment of no backdoors
* Official challenge to hackers worldwide
* Active protection against "man in the middle" type of attacks
* Third party certifications
* Used by special military forces around the world
* Distribution and support network in all continents and time uses
* Development of complex tailor-made solutions for telecommunications operators, and important public and government entities
* Simple operation, almost transparent to the user.
* Protects communications via wi-fi, 3G, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, CDMA
* Keys are managed automatically without requiring user intervention.
Final comments by Noam Copel
No modern hacking or decryption technique was able to decipher the Gold Lock™ signal. Even the mathematicians who developed Gold Lock's algorithms failed to decipher their secure communications and messages.
Another interesting application is Gold Lock Switch, which was developed for the Armed Forces of a Latin American country. This version is exclusive to that organism and we cite some of its characteristics.
* Fully private network can be extended to multiple organizations.
* Network for voice, chat, SMS, and file transfer
* AES 256, Elliptic curve 384
* Supports mobile phones, computers, desk phones, SIP terminals, and PBXs.
* P2P (Peer to Peer) where network conditions allow full control over its administration, closed system without external links, physical host support and in the cloud (Cloud), implementation, redundant fail-safe, secure support over TSL / SSL over its components, unlimited scalability, multi-geographical implementation, detailed log logging, open options for groups, 24x7 performance monitoring, SMS alert and / or calls.
At the same time, they have exclusive Relay Servers that allow the management of licenses in the cloud (Cloud).
In future publications we will expand on the new encryption models in other areas of application.
The brands and products mentioned are brands and products of their respective companies.
*Any concern or interest on the topic developed write to [email protected] or contact on the website: www.sigillu.com
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