My understanding is that the encryption was triggered by privacy advocates who were concerned about the activities of the OGN <http://wiki.glidernet.org/about#system-arch-current> who are using a network of (many) USB DVB-T radio receivers to collect FLARM data from the ground and making the tracks openly available on the net – for example their Live Web Page <http://live.glidernet.org/> or flightradar24 <https://www.flightradar24.com/> . This hasn’t been made much of an issue here in Australia but in Europe, particularly in Germany, many are very sensitive about any technology that could in some way infringe privacy (e.g. Google Streetview…. even credit cards…). Whether the Flarm guys are displaying good corporate citizenship (which the privacy advocates seem to be swallowing) or protecting their turf - or both - is probably only a temporary issue because it is most likely only a matter of time before the open source community has broken the code (as has already happened once before with an earlier, weaker encryption attempt I believe) – after all the processing power of the Flarm units is limited so they wouldn’t waste too much time for decryption otherwise their real-time performance gets degraded (there are some who argue that is already the case).
Just my $0.02 worth (if that). Ulrich From: Aus-soaring [mailto:aus-soaring-boun...@lists.base64.com.au] On Behalf Of Richard Frawley Sent: Monday, 7 March 2016 10:32 To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. <aus-soaring@lists.base64.com.au> Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Update from Flarm on Unsolicited Email Circulation Mike, thats sounds pretty hypocritical coming from you. You of all people should be honest in acknowledging the challenging business economics that are apparent in serving what is a tiny community. Flarm have done a great job over the many years supplying a reliable, life saving product that cost less than some of your Varios. Like you Mike, they have every right to protect their IP and make a living. I don’t see you rushing to Open Sourcing your codes. Open Source has its place, as does Proprietary supply. Right now, Flarm licence their code and design to 9 other parties. Those parties add their own value into the supply chain. As such, its a competitive market. On 7 Mar 2016, at 10:32 AM, Mike Borgelt <mborg...@borgeltinstruments.com <mailto:mborg...@borgeltinstruments.com> > wrote: At 07:45 PM 3/6/2016, you wrote: On 6 Mar 2016, at 2:30 PM, Richard Frawley <rjfraw...@gmail.com <mailto:rjfraw...@gmail.com> > wrote: http://flarm.com/statement-by-flarm-technology-about-recent-unsolicited-emails/ Smells like bullshit. http://flarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/FLARM-System-Design-and-Compatibility.pdf "Encryption of the radio protocol is a consequence of the requirements for privacy and security and was thus introduced nearly a decade ago: It protects the system from abuse but also from rogue devices implementing the protocol and system incorrectly or incompletely. The latter may have serious consequences for users of proper devices since incorrect data may lead to undefined behavior on the receiver end. The encryption applied is an industrial-strength symmetric cipher, fast enough to be run on all devices with no performance degradation. Since decryption or interception of encrypted communication is illegal in most countries, this also ensures the integrity of the system beyond the technical barriers. Furthermore, the encryption can be enhanced with software updates if security is compromised.†This is a half-baked technical-sounding justification for a restraint of trade. So I guess by the Flarm company's thinking ADSB is illegal as it breaks privacy and security? There's no encryption and every aircraft is identified by a unique code. Note that no individual is identified, just the aircraft, same as Flarm. Flarm is transmitted a few kilometers, ADSB goes to the horizon. Let alone the engineering stupidity of implementing an unnecessary encryption scheme which adds complexity and failure modes. Where is Flarm company's evidence that other devices ever caused a problem? Apart from cutting in to their sales. I'm aware of only one other Flarm compatible device having been commercially produced and that was made by DSX. They claimed to have had 40% of the Italian and Spanish markets before Flarm started their encryption games and managed to break the initial Flarm encryption scheme in 3 weeks. Figure out the rest for yourselves. Oh, I really like the Flarm response to this: Let's find the messenger and shoot him. Mike Publish the standard, and have independent auditors judge compliance with the standard to award a FLARM-compatible Service Mark for compatible implementations. Devices that aren’t “rogue†get to advertise themselves as FLARM(sm), devices that don’t, don’t. Comps can specify that they won’t accept FLARMs without the servicemark. Then let the market’s desire for interoperability clean up the raggedy ends. Using encryption to lock competitors out of the protocol altogether is going to be incredibly funny in a few years as soon as FLARM decides to stop providing software support to the 20,000-odd obsolete devices bought between 2004 and 2010. If you want to keep FLARM you’ll need to buy another device from the same company that just shafted the device you’ve already bought. - mark _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list <mailto:Aus-soaring@lists.base64.com.au> Aus-soaring@lists.base64.com.au <http://lists.base64.com.au/listinfo/aus-soaring> http://lists.base64.com.au/listinfo/aus-soaring Borgelt Instruments - design & manufacture of quality soaring instrumentation since 1978 <http://www.borgeltinstruments.com/> www.borgeltinstruments.com tel: 07 4635 5784 overseas: int+61-7-4635 5784 mob: 042835 5784 : int+61-42835 5784 P O Box 4607, Toowoomba East, QLD 4350, Australia _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.base64.com.au <mailto:Aus-soaring@lists.base64.com.au> http://lists.base64.com.au/listinfo/aus-soaring
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