A CryptoPhone Based On The XDA

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031118/tc_nm/tech_cellphones_security_dc' target='_blank'>http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...nes_security_dc</a><br /><br /></div>A company has taken the XDA and written custom dialer software that encrypts the voice channel for maximum security. It's pretty cool to see that Pocket PC/Windows Mobile Phone Edition has this kind of flexibility. However, there are two downsides: you must speak to someone else with the same device, and the price is... not cheap. $4,121 per phone, to be precise. 8O I assume it's a custom, low-volume solution...<br /><br />"Berlin-based Cryptophone, a unit of privately held GSMK, developed the phone by inserting an encryption software inside a standard handheld computer phone. This ensures that calls can only be decoded by a similar handset or a computer running the software."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20031119-CryptoPhone.jpg" /><br /><br />You can get more information from the company's website <a href="http://www.cryptophone.de/">here</a>.

[MaximumPDA]

I saw this earlier and didn’t realize it was a PocketPC Phone Edition, very cool. That got me to thinking, could you create a software solution that pre encrypts the voice stream and de crypts it with a key on the other end. What I mean by that is for less htan $4000. Maybe XDA-Developers will look closely at that.

[David Prahl]

Aren't there already solutions like this for people who need them? One would think that someone using an encrypted communications device wouldn't drop a few thousand dollars (per unit) for an encrypted phone that keeps your contact information.

[DustyLBottoms]

That's a lot of money to pay for something you can't easily prove works.

:)

[sponge]

They released the source to their encryption algorhythm (I can't spell) which is a pretty cool thing if you ask me.

[bjornkeizers]

If you *need* such security, you probably shouldn't be having that conversation anyway 8O It's slightly more secure then your average cellphone, but it's still a cellphone.. Dedicated land lines are one thing, but I would never, ever, use a cellphone for secure comms.

[manywhere]

So, how long before we can see this in a movie? 8)
I can already see it before my eyes:
Q: Bond, here is your new phone. It's got a VGA digital camera, touchsensitive display, Bluetooth, infrared, triband GSM GPRS and, most importantly, the latest phone encryption technology. Please bring it back this time...

Bond: Sure Q.


Oh, lookey here: MGM is already calling me to get me as technical advisor for the next double-oh-seven-movie... :mrgreen:

[sfjlittel]

However, there are two downsides: you must speak to someone else with the same device, and the price is... not cheap. $4,121 per phone, to be precise.
I think that is the price when you buy a bundle, if you look at the site of the developer ( www.cryptophone.nl )the price is 1799 euro for the "world" edition (800/1900 MH) and the us version costs 1899 euro and can only be preordered.

[thunderck]

Come on, I would love to see someones call shoot down :snipersmile: while using this. Hardware AES with more security on top. It will not matter if you grab this traffic in the air or on a land line you will not be able to decrypt it. ( at lease not yet) By that time they will have changed the encyption.

You can verify that this is secure because many people have tryed to crack AES to no avale. General Dinamics, the us gov choice for cell phone security, claims that CDMA and the like can be decypted with equipment costing around $1000. Someone could verify that you could decrytp before but not after this phone is used. I'm sure this company has ways of showing this to customers that would shell out 4 grand.


I love the Bond 007 Ref. :rotfl: