Encrypting Cellphone Calls
A new piece of encryption software has been released which will protect conversations over mobile phones. The vendor is citing the recent UK media fuss over tabliod journalists "hacking" into phones belonging to MPs and members of the Royal Family. However as those hacks involved listening into voicemails that still had the default security settings, it is not clear how encrypting voice calls would have prevented this.
The software, Babylon nG uses the GPRS capabilities of mobile phones to provide a secure channel for voice communication. The encryption changes every time a call is made and each handset has its own unique encryption key. When the encryption is not required, the handset maintains all the usual functions of a mobile phone, whether encryption is used or not.
Joe Francis of One Day Mobile says: "Babylon nG uses 256K bit technology with a 124K bit key to give several layers of encryption. With online banking services, for example, encrypted using 128K, it shows how secure the system is.
"The encryption, which has been rigorously tested by the military, changes every time a call is made and each handset has its own unique encryption key. When two of these telephones communicate it really is impossible for someone to unlock the signal. An encrypted message service is also available.
"Where Babylon nG really scores is that the option to use the encryption or not means that the mobile phone does not have a limited use and maintains all the functions of the handset. It is cost-effective to use GPRS as the calls are subject to networks' data transfer plans."
Posted to the site on 15th August 2006