Apropos of the ongoing ruckus about President-elect Obama’s BlackBerry — the so-called “BarackBerry” — an interesting question is coming to the fore: why is the President, or even a prominent Senator for that matter, using a civilian mobile phone? With matters of national security, policy, and locations of our most powerful citizens being beamed through the air, it behooves us as a technologically savvy country to provide a cellular solution for heads of state that doesn’t have to be worried about.
It’s led us to a long discussion and rumination: what would such a phone look like?
Impenetrable
The major complaint against Obama’s BlackBerry is security. This is more of an infrastructure complaint. The presidential mobile would likely be BlackBerry-esque but not working through the RIM network, which, while relatively secure, is far from impregnable — especially when the target is a such a hot one. What is needed is for the Office of the President to get special access to a military, or at least military-grade, network or VPN, whereby all his traffic is obscured, redirected, and encrypted to the satisfaction of a board of technological advisers. Carriers would have to be on board, obviously, but as long as the transmissions are sufficiently encrypted it shouldn’t matter whether they’re being relayed by Verizon, AT&T, or Orange.
As for locking the device itself, obviously a four-digit number or swipe pattern won’t do; it’ll need a fingerprint and voice recognition capability — we have to balance size and usability here with security, so retina or other more stringent biometrics are out of the question. How about RFID tagging the President? Somehow I doubt that’s something he’d agree to.
If an actual BlackBerry-type device was used, the government could even license the server technology from RIM and have their own servers relaying the info instead of RIM’s. Similar steps can be taken for any other service provider. After all, there’s only going to be the one device (or a few more for cabinet or whatever), so it wouldn’t be too hard to set it up.
The GPS is another issue. But once again, why should the Commander-in-Chief be using civilian GPS? Not only is it limited in precision, but it’s less secure and there’s no secret more closely-held by the Secret Service than the president’s location in times of crisis. Wouldn’t want anyone busting in the back door and making the BarackBerry ping a satellite. So again it’s a military solution. High-precision, good encryption, and only on demand GPS, activated by a password or signal only known by, say, the President, his cabinet, and military of a certain rank.
Triangulation based on cell tower connectivity is another problem, and one less tractable. Maybe have clone devices spoofing his location at all times? Maybe have the president put one of 100 SIM-type cards in every morning, each with a different ID? Tag his IMEI so any searches or requests with it are traced or blocked? Rotate the phone’s hardware identifier every few minutes? These are possible solutions, but they’d have to be investigated in detail.
All the features you need, except the App Store
What about the interface and capabilities? First, he’d want email. Obviously it wouldn’t just get president@whitehouse.gov (I have a FilePlanet account under that address), but a couple special addresses which in all likelihood already exist: probably one personal, one policy-related, and one “Batphone” style super-secret address that is likewise known by only 30 or 40 people in the world. IM? Probably not, and similarly text messaging seems superfluous. He’s just going to have to get used to tweeting from his laptop. Mapping probably won’t be necessary either; I doubt the president ever really needs to look for coffee in his area, or ask for directions. Games and random apps can probably go, although depending on what the phone runs there wouldn’t be any harm in having Tetris or things like a notepad app or to-do list on there. They could even be custom made.
Video capability would have to be there, perhaps even two-way video if they can wangle it. That might be asking too much, though. At the very least it should be able to show media like presentations, map and route information, and clips of say dignitaries he’s going to meet, or his own personal videos (why not?).
The president-elect has raised concerns about privacy. The fourth amendment applies to the Prez at least in some mutated form, and he doesn’t need people subpoenaing every email he sends to his wife and kids about this or that private matter. Yet there must be a balance, and the president can’t just have a “black” line to issue commands like “when’s that invasion of Canada happening again Colin?” or “Terminate Devin Coldewey with extreme violence.” I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t think of a way to make this part work. The machinations of government are not by and large not designed or appropriate for public consumption, so this is something that would have to be hashed out very carefully.
Boom
In case of being left at a dinner or party, it would have to have remote capabilities up the yin yang, authorized only by the President or majority of congress. They could access, delete, or possibly even destroy the phone physically based on a separate network that would have to be made impossible to block except physically. Would-be thieves would have to go underground or into a Faraday cage to avoid phone self-destruction. Local storage might be discouraged for any critical info; even a HDD that’s fallen from orbit can sometimes be resuscitated.
Made in China, probably
I guess what we’ve got is a sort of super-secure Peek with media, two-way video (maybe), and military GPS.
So what about the hardware? From all the reliance on military tech you might say the phone should just give him a piece of military hardware. The thing is, what is needed is essentially a consumer device, compact and easily usable, with military-grade capability. After all, the president doesn’t drive around in a tank and fly in a B-52; he uses modified civilian technology for all this stuff. Very heavily modified, but still. (Plus, that one on the right uses the treasonous WinMo)
I’m told that MI-6 uses Sony-Ericsson exclusively, but it wouldn’t be that hard to ask any handset manufacturer to custom-design a device or retrofit another one, maybe even depending on what the President uses. This time around it’s a Blackberry, so on November 5th someone calls up RIM and says “Give us 10 of your best guys for a government contract, and we’d like to buy a 4-year license on this and that technology.” But maybe in 2012 (or 2016!) it’s going to be a Palm device (after seeing the Pre, that’s not such a stretch) or, yes I suppose, an Apple one. So they repeat the process. Tying the government to any one manufacturer or interface designer would be, I think, a mistake.
Why not?
I believe the Obama Presidency is a good place to begin this reinvention of the President’s communications. His platform involved ideas of both online connectivity and transparency of government, and this could (if done right) dovetail with both those promises. The cost would not be that great, although for good or ill it would add a whole new layer of communication for lobbyists, lawyers, and Presdidential entourage to fill, analyze, and bring up in court. Done right, however, it could be powerful, secure, and useful. Here’s hoping they’ve got already set DARPA on it.
Oh, come on, a presidential Blackberry has to have a red button.
QFT! Just make sure it’s not the center button.
Don’t Push the wed button
Very interesting article, original in concept and well done. I think RIM is giddy as a school girl that the most powerful man in the planet is fighting tooth and nail to keep his BlackBerry. If it was an iPhone he was begging to keep, you’d know Apple would have it in a commercial.
If he does keep his Blackberry, this will be huge for RIM. Expect MUCH development on the horizon both for consumer and Gov/Mil applications.
I think having a red button negates the “2 man process” lol
Most likely something like this:
http://www.gdc4s.com/content/detail.cfm?item=32640fd9-0213-4330-a742-55106fbaff32
My suggestion has been the exact opposite.
Instead of securing the BarackBerry, SET IT FREE!
http://dalelarson.com/2008/11/mr-obama-dont-give-up-your-blackberry-use-it-differently.html
Interesting, I thought of that but I feel that it would limit the usability of the device. That makes it more useful for the people, but less so for him. The president needs a private device, not full hidden but at the least not totally public. I hear you though.
The features of the Presidential “BarackBerry” are definitely open for debate.
How times have changed since Bush was allowed to bring his GameBoy to the Oval Office!
Oops, here’s the link!
http://www.sarcastic.com.au/george-bush-gameboy
GPS doesn’t tell anyone else where you are. A GPS only tells you where YOU are.
Publishing the information received by a GPS would be a security hole, but simply having a GPS is a non-issue.
Sorry for being pedantic; this is a personal peeve of mine.
But if a hacker was targeting a phone though, he could spoof the phone’s address or split the return signal so the phone pings the sat and the sat pings back both the pres’ phone and the attacker’s phone.
Intercepting the incoming signal can’t be THAT hard.
A GPS NEVER ‘pings the sat’.
It is a completely passive device. It only listens.
though you are mostly correct, carriers can ping the phone to get the location. We did it for a friend trapped in an avalanche a few weeks ago.
I believe the fear is that somebody would spoof that process.
“Intercepting the incoming signal [to the phone]can’t be THAT hard.”
You’re right — it isn’t. We’re awash in GPS signals at all times. They are broadcast by the satellites continuously around the world.
The key point is that there is nothing about anyone’s location in that signal. It is just a pseudorandom code which is magically transformed into location information on the GPS device.
A GPS device doesn’t have an address. There is NO return signal. A GPS no more has to “ping” a satellite than an FM receiver has to “ping” a radio station.
Repeat after me: a GPS satellite doesn’t know where you are. It just sends a signal so the device can (locally!) figure out where you are.
FIRE THE METEOR GUN!
This would be in his favorites
http://whilediscoveringnewyork.blogspot.com/
or maybe it should be called, while discovering washington :)
I feel like the Football which is perpetually at the president’s side and carried by a military officer whose sole job is to protect it, sort of accomplishes the same purpose as this but obviously with a lot more security.
I still can’t figure out how to use cell phone features. Technology left me behind a bit I think.
Regardless of what it looks like, that’s why I’m pledging to Carry The Berry!
http://www.carrytheberry.com
Obama, Carry your blackberry
http://english.honkin.info/2009/01/13/obama-carry-your-blackberry/
Well, if the POTUS has a custom car, clothes, security detail, and everything else, it makes sense to have a custom mobile device — not no mobile at all.
Don’t forget the custom port-a-john. http://forums.techguy.org/civilized-debate/480906-more-crap-bush.html
And then how long will it be before the rest of us can pay for the same stealth privileges?
A Hum-vee style blackberry? Maybe I don’t *need* to block my whereabouts, but it would be nice to be able to if I needed to…
The problem with all of this is the Presidential Records Act of 1978 http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/laws/1978-act.html. How would all of the data on the BarackBerry (or whatever it’s called) be recorded?
A good question; I was looking for a link like that. There would probably need to be some new legislation.
Technically every packet sent to and from the device would qualify as “records” of presidential communications…
Um. I do not think that word means what you think it means.
“Records” in governmentese is a very overdefined term, and I would reccommend looking into the legislation and regulations to get what *THEY* mean by it. It’s probably (almost certainly) not what you think it means.
First of all GPS is passive its AGPS that would give the president location away also the SIM since it would give him away
BUT
the secret service are the biggest wave of electronic noise there is it’s pretty easy to identify radio density and also since you can get hold a satellite (radio, thermal etc) image of the whitehouse and it’s escape tunnels really it’s not a deterrent except against the stupid (there are lots out there so hey…)
most senators etc carry a phone the problem really is the the codes etc are known to the president and only the president…
problem
counteract this with the fact most of the senior chiefs carry cell phones outside…
inside he would be on the VPN and so messages vetted anyway for family being captured etc
outside he already is surrounded by electronic sognals that give away his location and if he knew to toss the phone in a emergency in the same way your have “radio silence” then I reckon you could get away with it
he could get a blackberry if he wanted it bad enough…
regards
John Jones
http://www.johnjones.me.uk
I don’t think he is necessarily trapped to a cell phone. Obama wanted the BB so that he could get opinions and info outside the bubble he will be in. Barack wants to be able to listen to his advisers but not get trapped by group think at the same time. a Presidential Twitter account would be just what he needs. Obama is not going to be in many places they don’t have WiFi. They could use that network and make it secure.
You have an important point: Obama has stated that he wants to keep his BB so that he can easily communicate with his circle of friends and advisors outside of the White House—not to issue military orders.
Would securing his emails require the distribution of secured devices to those he wants to communicate with? Presumably he’d want to keep emails asking for advice on strategy and policy confidential (until, of course, the law compels it).
The blackberry needs bigger numeric keys, imagine this scenario…
You have reached the presidential helpdesk. Please press 1 for english.
For trouble with the republicans, press “1″. To nuke a country, press “2″.
If you know the name of the country you would like to nuke, press “1″.
Wow! The design is cool and the features are awesome! Wish I could have one.
I believe the Obama Presidency is a good place to begin this reinvention of the President’s communications. His platform involved ideas of both online connectivity and transparency of government, and this could (if done right) dovetail with both those promises
http://www.gdc4s.com/content/detail.cfm?item=32640fd9-0213-4330-a742-55106fbaff32
Maybe he should have 2 mobiles, one for work, another for family
I agree with the 2 phones. a BroPhone, and the HoPhone.
CNet Article on the secuirty challenges of BlackBerry and 2 alterntives that meet security requirements:
“Without more details I would have to say that putting sensitive or classified information on a BlackBerry is a risky proposition,” said Greg Shipley, chief technology officer at Neohapsis, a governance, risk, and compliance consultancy. ”
“One thing that security experts can agree on is that despite RIM’s efforts, a BlackBerry probably isn’t up to the security standards for a leader of the free (or even unfree) world. ”
“The U.S. government uses special ciphers for secret information and they use different data networks from the public data networks, said Phil Dunkelberger, chief executive of encryption provider PGP Corp. “Unless you’re using point-to-point encryption technology…or the mail itself is encrypted, you would have exposure to people administering the network.”
Link here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10141398-38.html
No attempt to use some kind of “secure network” will be able to stop someone who is determined to see the data coming from this device. However, it is possible to achieve a level of personal anonymity by encrypting ALL non-sensitive data using a different time-sensitive public key every week (or every few days, even), and then leave the distribution of those public keys to the people who might be emailed up to the secret service. As for sensitive transmissions made, since these who might receive sensitive transmissions will be known beforehand, one-time pads could be given to these individuals and then protected as if they were any other kind of sensitive information these individuals need to have access to at all times. In this fashion, the President will actually be leading the rest of the nation towards better practices in email (what a crazy idea).
Not a great article, where’s the research? The Fed gov’t AND Military already use blackberries, so where is this whole “military grade VPN” network thing you’re talking about? What are you talking about?
I agree the article assumes a lot and assuming does make an ass.out .of .you.and .me.
I would imagine that the security aspect has been taken care of and speculating that Osama can tap in to Obama’s calls whilst sitting next to a Llama and pretending to be a farmer is a little bit of a stretch.
I do seriously love this website though.
Paul
VaporStream, A Chicago-based technology company focused on confidential messaging and corporate confidentiality, appears to have already solved this problem.
They offer a free 90 day trial on their website:
https://www.vaporstream.com/
Okay, almost nobody here knows what they’re talking about (and this piece is pretty weak to start with). As for government effort and development regarding RIM, just that has been going on for years now. There’s more to come. Everyone relax and ease up on the uninformed rumination.
Oh, and VaporStream — I really hope you’re not a shill and just some random dude, “Jay Lewis”, because if you’re a shill, OH MY GOD is your company out of it’s depth here. You are completely off the mark, which is to say, you’re nowhere close to even knowing what this “problem” is much less solving it.
Wow such a cool phone,lol,forget the president i want one also :D