Tactical Secure Voice/Variable Data Rate Inter Working Function

The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of producing a tactical secure narrowband voice/variable data rate (VDR) over Internet Protocol (IP) inter working function (IWF) method without sacrificing the security of the voice communications or wasting the limited available bandwidth. The primary challenges with introducing security into voice over IP (VoIP) systems are 1) variable data rates, 2) dropped packets, 3) misaligned frames, 4) authentication, 5) group communication, 6) network congestion, 7) forward and backward security, 8) non-repudiation, and 9) various malicious data stream attacks. The main objectives for Phase I are 1) develop recommendations for cipher modes, 2) develop recommendations for variable security level options, and 3) develop recommendations for network congestion backoff options. The 3 month option will consist of the following additional objectives: 4) develop recommendations for group key distribution methods and 5) develop recommendations for different prototyping methods for the tactical secure narrowband voice/VDR IWF. Results of this project will have broader impacts in other commercial market sectors such as Video On Demand (VoD), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), cellular phone systems, telecommunication networks, and secure space communications because of the increasing importance of both variable data rate encoders and security.BENEFITS: This project will aid in the development of novel security mechanisms for variable data rate systems such as Voice over Internet Protocol and Video on Demand. These results will aid Leanics Corporation in obtaining additional funding for the development of future products such as embedded VoIP phone systems.