Communications > Computer COMSEC Lessons

Encryption - Do you Need it

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JohnyMac:
I have been getting more and more involved in encryption; Specifically, encryption via email, text, ham radio* et cetera. I would like to get an updated discussion on encryption started again since the earlier day at UnchainedPreppers when APX saw the future and started this Board.

First lets chat about texting using your standard cell phone through your provider. Obviously it isn't the most secure way of communicating. There are other forms out there you can use such as ZELLO and SIGNAL but how secure are they? I think ZELLO is owned by Google - Need I say more. What experiences do you have? What system outside of just texting do you use?

Next is emailing via a encrypted site. APX leaned heavily towards Thunderbird which is complicated. I recently switched to Tutanota.com for my encrypted emails. Probably not as secure as Thunderbird but a hell of a lot easier to use. A word of caution for folks who use Tutanota, the folks you send to or receive from need to be setup with Tutanota or there is a lot more involved communicating.

Last is using a more modernized Shifted Alphabet Code. Do you remember when you were in middle school and sent notes between friends using a shifted Alphabet code?

Then there is a BREVITY CODE which our military uses. If you would like to learn more about that please go here to an article NC Scout wrote about on his site, Brushbeater.

In closing lets start a discussion on the subject of encryption.

* You can not use amateur ham radio frequency's to send coded messages by phone, CW, or digital. Well at least legally.  ;)

grizz:
Im interested but dont know anything about it

Nemo:
Just Like Me.

Nemo

bennington.camper:
You had an asterisk next to Ham Radio, but no elaboration?
I must say that with a ham radio, you must communicate in plain language, as far as I remember the law. So I went to part 97 and found the following in 97.113 a 4;
no ...messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning...
So I would refrain from using that for a means of encrypted comms.

I started using PGP many years ago, and lately I looked back and see that it has gone commercial...

pkveazey:
Hmmmmm...... In today's world(non collapse), codes, ciphers, and encryption is pretty much not needed. With that said, I still don't see a need for special codes on Ham Radio since there are at least a dozen digital modes available being used on HF radio and could just as easily be used on VHF and UHF. CW, PSK, Hellscriber, and a many more are already in place. If someone wanted to decipher your messages, they would have to know what frequency you were going to be on, when you were going to transmit, and be set up to copy the digital mode you were going to use. Even in PSK31, it just sounds like a whistle and you can send a paragraph in about 5 seconds. In a total collapse situation, rules aren't going to mean squat. I'm taking a wait and see position. When the SHTF I'm going to see what other people are using and that's what I'm going to use unless my message is very private and something very special, in which case, I'll pick the least used digital mode and use that. 

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