IGC-approval levels for some types of Flight Recorders

In article , Gerhard Wesp
writes

Which cryptographic algorithms are considered ``equivalent'' to RSA?
What is the minimum key length prescribed?

DSA for one, which has the advantage that most security calculations may
be made "on the fly" during flight. This leads to a shorter download
time after flight. A couple of newer recorder designs use DSA and the
rest use RSA.

On key length, for a new type of recorder for IGC-approval for "all
flights" he answer is a private key of at least 512 bits.

It is all spelt out in the IGC Technical Specification for GNSS Flight
Recorders, particularly para 2.8.3. A good bedtime read! (a joke, I
think, but some might find it interesting). See:
http://www.fai.org/gliding/gnss/tech_spec_gnss.asp

GFAC is also looking at the concept of "server-based security" where the
VALIDATION check program is not available in the public domain (as now,
through the IGC GNSS web site) but is held behind a firewall.
Interrogation for VALI checks would result in a pass/fail message being
sent back on the public side of the firewall. The server/firewall could
be at the recorder manufacturer's site or, preferably, at the FAI site
in Lausanne. The principle was announced to IGC at the 2004 Plenary but
GFAC was overtaken by other work such as the World Record review and the
COTS situation (as well as our normal work), and no practical progress
on testing such a system has been made. We are now preparing to try it
out. One advantage if it can be made to work would be to stop the
incessant rise of private key bit count requirements as computer power
increases with time. In other words, simpler types of VALI programs
might be OK but they would always be hidden. That is, not available on
the IGC web site as they are now, together with the standard download
programs DATA-XXX.exe and the Windows-based equivalents (XXX is each
manufacturer's three letter code).

Hope that helps ........

--
Ian Strachan
Chairman IGC GFA Committee