The Project 25 Consolidated Communications Network of Colorado (CCNC) proves to be a Game-Changer for multi-agency coordination as well as preserving life safety during the recent 2020 wildfires in the state.

By: Sheriff Justin Smith, Larimer County Colorado

PTIG Thanks Sheriff Smith for this excellent story and poictures depicting the use of Project 25 for Interopreability and multi-agency coordination during the 2020 wildfires in Colorado.  Please download the full story using the link below.

See the Full Article with Pictures from the Wildfires downloading the link below;

Colorado P25 CCNC Game Changer for Interoperability in 2020 Wildfires Dec 2020

Larimer County P25 interoperability During 2020 Wildfires

With shared talkgroup access between first responder agencies and several locally established mutual aid paths to facilitate regional shared communications, agencies across Larimer County have grown to depend on the communications made possible under the P25 standards.

However, beginning on August 13 of 2020, we tested the limits of the system and enjoyed the benefits of a statewide P25 system when we organized our response to the Cameron Peak Fire- a Rocky Mountain wildfire that over the following 3 months grew into Colorado’s largest single wildfire on record.

Once the response grew beyond county-based agencies, Larimer County requested and received permission to secure a regional mutual aid channel (MAC) under the CCNC system. Having access to that MAC assured that any first responder agency in the state who sent resources could immediately be in communications with local resources without having to issue cache radios or reprogram radios brought by those first responders.

That capability proved a game changer for coordination as well as preserving life safety throughout the fire.

Assisting resources from around the state were advised of the communications plan prior to arrival and we able to communicate with Larimer County agencies seamlessly.

The Project 25 Technology Interest Group (PTIG) has published the latest comprehensive list of all Project 25 TIA Documents approved by the P25 Steering Committee. 

The list was approved  by the Steering Committee in December of 2020.  A copy of the list can be down loaded using the link below.

Project 25 Standards Documents Approved by the P25 Steering Committee December 2020

The Project 25 Technology Interest Group (PTIG) offers links to a Library of P25 Security and Encryption Resources.

In coordination with SAFECOM and the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators, the Federal Partnership for Interoperable Communications (FPIC) continues to provide public safety officials and agencies with the information necessary to make informed decisions when implementing encryption in Project 25 public safety communication systems.

The Project 25 Technology Interest Group is pleased to offer links to these important P25 Security and Encryption Resources for P25 users, manufacturers, and consultants.

The Full Document Library can be found on the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) web page using the link below:

https://www.cisa.gov/publication/encryption

A New Comprehensive Overview Document  is Now available from DHS CISA and the Federal Partnership for Interoperable Communications (FPIC)

 The Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why of Encryption in P25 Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Systems
was published in May 2023

The Full document can be downloaded using the link below:

The Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why of Encryption in P25 Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Systems 

This guide provides readers new to the topic of encryption with a discussion of basic issues
related to establishing and maintaining effective encryption for Project 25 (P25) interoperable
LMR communications systems.  It is highly recommended for agencies planning, implementing, and managing an LMR encryption strategy

It combines and updates the content of three previously published
documents issued by the Federal Partnership for Interoperable Communications (FPIC), SAFECOM,
and the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC) in 2016:

• Considerations for Encryption in Public Safety Radio Systems: This document examines why
encryption is necessary during critical operations. The document provides examples of how
encryption decreases the threat of compromise and reduces the risk to personnel safety
while providing protection of sensitive information.
• Guidelines for Encryption in Land Mobile Radio Systems: This document provides information
that should be considered when evaluating encryption solutions to protect sensitive
operational or life safety radio transmissions.
• Best Practices for Encryption in P25 Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Systems: This
document discusses encryption best practices for P25 LMR systems. The document also
provides an understanding of how basic key management parameters are related in P25 LMR
systems.

The document adds to the previous publications an extensive new section on encryption key
management, based on current proven encryption practices.

The overall objective is to further define and explain encryption and provide reliable guidance for
planning, implementing, and managing an LMR encryption strategy. Special emphasis is on two core
issues: 1) establishing common procedures—including governance, policies, and training—to preserve
user-defined interoperability and 2) managing encryption keys, the random strings of bits used to
encode and decode data.

A Video "Encryption in 3 Minutes" created by the DHS CISA P25 Support Team is now available using the link below:   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1sKPEaHWUc  

Requirements for communications and information security in the public safety community is increasing as technologies for monitoring public safety communications become more accessible. Scanners and smart phone apps make it easier for anyone to access sensitive law enforcement and emergency medical services information transmitted in the clear (without encryption). At the same time, encrypting specific talk groups or channels in a land mobile radio (LMR) system can potentially interfere with interoperability within and among agencies if encryption protocols are not properly coordinated and shared among users.

Public safety agencies face a broad range of options when it comes to encryption capabilities, including choices of encryption algorithm, various protocols for key generation, key management and determining crypto-periods (the length of time between system-wide changes of encryption keys). These options can be simplified by considering best practices developed by public safety agencies not only to protect their own systems’ communications and information sharing but also to maintain interoperability with their local, state, tribal and federal mutual aid partners.

A List of the Documents available in the CISA library is below:

Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Communications Security (January 2022)

Reliable land mobile radio (LMR) communications are the backbone of public safety operations and key to mission success. The ability of responders to communicate and coordinate efforts during routine and emergency operations is the dominant factor in saving lives and protecting property. In recent years, Communications Security—COMSEC—has become an important element in the public safety environment. COMSEC focuses on the security of all elements of public safety communications, from the infrastructure of voice and data systems to communications facilities, radios, smartphones, tablets, and computers, as well as policies and procedures governing radio traffic. This document focuses on the security of LMR systems, assets, and communications, with an emphasis on securing radio traffic with encryption.

P25 LMR Communications Security January 2022

Operational Best Practices for Encryption Key Management (August 2020)

This latest document thoroughly explores the challenges of communications and information sharing relevant to public safety LMR systems and provides the public safety community with specific encryption key management best practices and case studies that illustrate the importance of protected communications and information sharing. The Operational Best Practices for Encryption Key Management document was developed in partnership with the National Law Enforcement Communications Center (NLECC), the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and subject matter experts from federal, state, and local agencies.

Operational Best Practices for Encryption Key Management (August 2020)

Considerations for Encryption in Public Safety Radio Systems

This report describes agency requirements related to LMR encryption. It outlines the types of radio traffic that should be considered for encryption, including sensitive law enforcement information, personally identifiable information, tactical/investigative communications, time-sensitive disaster/incident response and mitigation information, and other sensitive communication and information that can impact the safety of public safety personnel and the public.

Considerations for Encryption in Public Safety Radio Systems

Guidelines for Encryption in Land Mobile Radio Systems

These Guidelines address encryption methodology—the strategy for determining which encryption methods or algorithms best protects sensitive information. It identifies considerations that should be included in any evaluation of available encryption capabilities as well as potential drawbacks to be considered.

Guidelines for Encryption in Land Mobile Radio Systems

Best Practices for Encryption in P25 Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Systems

This document provides an overview of standardized encryption key management practices related to Project 25 LMR systems, with an emphasis on practices that public safety agencies have found to be most helpful in effectively implementing and managing encryption both within their agencies and with their mutual aid partners. This document is currently under revision and will be published in the first half of 2021.

Best Practices for Encryption in P25 Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Systems  

Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Communications Security (January 2022)

Reliable land mobile radio (LMR) communications are the backbone of public safety operations and key to mission success. The ability of responders to communicate and coordinate efforts during routine and emergency operations is the dominant factor in saving lives and protecting property. In recent years, Communications Security—COMSEC—has become an important element in the public safety environment. COMSEC focuses on the security of all elements of public safety communications, from the infrastructure of voice and data systems to communications facilities, radios, smartphones, tablets, and computers, as well as policies and procedures governing radio traffic. This document focuses on the security of LMR systems, assets, and communications, with an emphasis on securing radio traffic with encryption.

P25 Security & Encryption Summary Fact Sheets

https://www.cisa.gov/publication/encryption

Encryption Key Management Fact Sheet

Best Practices for Encryption in P25 Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Systems Fact Sheet

Best Practices for Encryption in P25 Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Systems - Developing Methods to Improve Encrypted Interoperability in Public Safety

Considerations for Encryption in Public Safety Radio Systems - Determining the Need for Encryption in Public Safety Radios

Project 25 Standards Update: November 2020 presented at the P25 Steering Committee Web conference.

Andy Davis, Chairman, TIA TR-8 Committee

This document highlights TR-8 accomplishments and work in progress for The Project 25 Suite of Standards in 2020. The document will be updated after every TR-8 face to face meeting and at a regular intervals during the COVID period when face to face meetings have been discontinued.  The filename reflects the date of the latest update.

After the first 2020 version, each update will use blue font to indicate the updates.

The full report can be downloaded using the link below:

TR8_2020_summary_11.12.20 pdf File