SECURE TRANSMISSION OF SHIPPER/RECEIVER CONFIRMATORY MEASUREMENTS*

Shipper/receiver confirmatory measurements will be performed at Y-12 using equipment designed by Y-12 and the Safeguards Assay Group at Los Alamos. Equipment consists of three stationary Nal(Tl) gamma-ray counter arrays and a Digital Equipment Corporation Micro-11 processor for proc- essing data. In the case of outgoing shipments, the counter data will be incorporated in a ship- ping file with other necessary documentation and transmitted to the intended recipient. In the case of incoming shipments, this station will re- ceive a similar file from the sending organiza- tion. Protection of all data at the S/RD level is required. Transmission of the data files can be made point-to-point over telephone lines with proper encryption. Two commercial devices used in con- junction with a personal computer are being evalu- ated to provide secure communication endorsed by the National Security Agency (NSA). One device is the Gillaroo from P. E. Systems, Inc., and the other is the STU-III, which is available from several vendors. The Gillaroo is available as a PC board or a standalone unit, whereas the STU-III is a Secure Telephone Unit with an RS-232 port for connection to a computer. In both cases, file encryption is performed in hardware using keys supplied by NSA. The prime advantage of this approach is sim- plicity. Aside from key management, the whole operation can be automatically controlled by com- mand files on the computer without involving addi- tional interfaces with secure networks or mail systems. Additional benefits are rapid response, immediate confirmation of receipt of message, a communication channel independent of the shipment itself, and low cost.