INFOSEC considerations for tactical key management in the IRIS radio system

Recent developments in electronic key management systems offer the opportunity for improved security and administrative effectiveness with lower operational cost. Key distribution is a subset of a total information management system designed to provide responsive and efficient use of communications resources. The IRIS crypto-material management system (CMMS) supports the communications management system (CMS) to provide an integrated communications and security management function. The author describes the hardware and software architecture that provides security and INFOSEC protection for the critical key management functions. Distribution of keying material in black form significantly reduces the risk of compromise. The CMMS is a portable-data-terminal-based software program used to perform the cryptonet engineering and the net management functions of the CMS. Operational requirements include planning for key distribution, cryptonet reconfiguration due to force restructuring, compromise recovery, reporting, accounting of all crypto material, and personal security information