In report to FCC, Software Defined Radio (SDR) Forum said core In...

last year, it didn’t set detailed security or authentication requirements because of concern that agency not hinder technology development. At time, it left open possibility that it might have to revisit security requirements later as SDR developed. “There are ample market drivers to provide adequate incentives for the wireless communication industry to deploy security technologies, including core technologies that were not initially developed for SDR but which are applicable to SDR,” report said. Filing stressed incentives for private sector to ensure SDR products and wireless networks were secure. “Regulatory mandates of specific security methods, techniques and algorithms are counterproductive,” report said. “On the other hand, specifying functional or performance requirements for security robustness against defined threats may be appropriate.” Forum told FCC it had received responses from April request for information on security issues, with respondents including Intel, Motorola, 3rd Generation Partnership Project. As for public safety communications, report said that in several years, most radios used by responders would use some form of SDR technology. It said SDR developers and regulators also were eyeing issues in that area such as user verification, which it called “particularly important” to public safety. Central requirement is to ensure that radio interfaces, especially those that affect emissions and safety, remain under tight control of equipment maker and be protected through security measures, report said. Filing said SDR would allow radio functionality to be deployed in software that might not have been developed by hardware manufacturers, “but there is the potential for significant administrative problems associated with third- party software changes. Who would hold the third party accountable for the safe and reliable operation of the revised hardware-software combination?” Other public safety issues cited included protection from unmanaged use by other public safety users of other land mobile channels and possibility of unauthorized access to network. In international arena, report said ITU Working Party 8F, which focuses on 3G and systems beyond 3G, was examining mobile security issues and planned to update documents in next year and possibly come up with new recommendations. Group also is developing report on technology trends, including SDR.