End-to-end security for commercial PCS networks

The emergence of second and third generation commercial mobile telecommunications networks poses numerous technical challenges to maintain connectivity of existing COMSEC services, in particular STU-III (U.S. Government third generation secure terminal unit) services, for cellular and PCS users. This paper highlights the progress being made in the North American wireless standards forums to define common solutions for interoperable data services, which include STU-III end-to-end secure voice and data modes as part of the commercial link offerings. The issues associated with the evolution from analog to digital mobile networks and the implications for existing secure applications are discussed. We then point out the importance of the secure wireless activities as it is expected that PCS, digital cellular, and mobile satellite services will become part of the common infrastructures for COMSEC over commercial and military networks.