Evaluation of GEMINI Authentication

As the environment for conducting Safeguards grows increasingly hostile in some areas, the need to utilize reliable and secure instrumentation becomes crucial. A vulnerability assessment of the authentication system in GEMINI was undertaken as a Joint Programme by the US and Canadian Support Programs in support of the efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The actual assessment was performed by the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) and the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) of Canada. Substantial effort was expended in tracking this project with the goal of providing a template for future evaluations required by the IAEA. Conclusions drawn from this assessment emphasize the importance of supplementing strong cryptography with rigorous operation and inspection/maintenance procedures. This paper discusses the methodology behind a vulnerability assessment and its application to future technology evaluations.