Category Archives: Military

REDCOM Secure Voice Gateway use cases

| May 8, 2023

Over the past 18 months, REDCOM has seen an uptick in requests from Federal Agencies and DoD organizations that need to replace non-compliant legacy encryptors with new CryptoMod Standards. Customers have articulated the same problems about their current Type-1 Secure Conferencing systems: they are not ACC compliant; they suffer from poor voice quality; or they frequently do not work, forcing them to rely on another agency’s conferencing bridge.

Some organizations don’t even have a multi-party classified voice solution in place. Instead, they conduct one-to-one calls on a secure line and then convey the details of that conversation to another party on a separate call. When the speed and accuracy of information are paramount, this is a cumbersome and unsustainable process. REDCOM worked closely with the team at General Dynamics Mission Systems to help customers implement a collaborative Secure Voice Gateway solution that enables Type 1 voice communication between red (secure) and black (non-secure) networks. This solution incorporates the ACC-compliant General Dynamics Sectéra® vIPer™ devices as red/black encryptors. REDCOM technology handles the call control, gateway functions, and conferencing, all managed through an easy-to-use web-based admin platform.

To date, REDCOM has delivered more than 500 secure circuits to customers in the DoD and Federal space.

SVG 1200

 

Use case #1: repurposing existing vIPer devices

A Federal agency approached REDCOM, explaining that their current legacy gateway lacks modern conferencing features and was not ACC compliant. This agency wanted to leverage its existing Sectéra vIPer endpoints and migrate to an IP network. REDCOM provided solutions for both their black and red networks using our Secure Voice Conferencing Gateway to support up to 12 secure voice paths using the vIPer devices as encryptors.

Use case #2: a turnkey solution with advanced conferencing features

A commercial military contractor needed to set up Secure Conference bridges for internal and external use. They also required advanced conference capabilities that included operator features, a system that could scale up to 60 ports, and multi-factor authentication support. REDCOM delivered a turnkey secure voice solution that leverages the powerful multi-party communications features in the Sigma Conference Manager. This intuitive app provides operators with full visibility of all conference attendees, with the ability to instantly add, drop, mute, and restore attendees. For enhanced security, this implementation also uses REDCOM’s Automatic Conference Code Generator to automatically rotate codes on a daily basis. This entire solution was delivered with operator training and tier 1 training for the customer’s technical staff.

Use case #3: development of time-saving features

REDCOM listened to customer requirements and the challenges COMSEC Managers face daily. For example, unlocking Sectéra vIPer phones or re-keying them through the National Re-key center can be a painstaking process. REDCOM has relieved the COMSEC Manager from performing this task and developed automated features to unlock or re-key these vIPer devices automatically.

REDCOM Sigma® continues to modernize tactical C2 solutions

| January 30, 2023

Whether we’re talking about the Army’s Project Convergence, the Navy’s Project Overmatch, or the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), the ultimate goal is Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2). Regardless of overarching concepts, it all boils down to the importance of command and control on the battlefield. Full adoption of JADC2 may still be years away, but REDCOM is already meeting many of these goals within the tactical environment today. That’s why the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T) selected REDCOM Sigma® as the default C2 communications platform for multiple programs. 

Our focus is on delivering the most reliable and interoperable tactical comms technology while reducing training and lifecycle costs. As a nimble, U.S.-based company, REDCOM can provide unparalleled flexibility and responsiveness to meet evolving DoD requirements. 

 

Why the Army Chose REDCOM Sigma 

REDCOM Sigma provides the Army with numerous significant advantages: 

  • Simplifies the network: Existing solutions require the deployment of multiple virtual machines or pieces of hardware for the same functionality. REDCOM Sigma software delivers call control, conferencing, and transcoding, all within a single lightweight software instance with no additional hardware infrastructure. Sigma provides tactical users with just one platform to buy, configure, deploy, and train on, significantly reducing complexity and lifecycle costs.
  • Greatly reduces training time and cost: Sigma provides one intuitive interface for all C2 comms capabilities, built from the ground up for the warfighter. New users can get trained on Sigma in hours or days — not weeks. This drastically reduces training costs and improves the tooth-to-tail ratio (T3R) by enabling teams to confidently implement, operate, and maintain core C2 functions without requiring IT specialists or field service reps.
  • User Interface built for the modern warfighter: Sigma puts the ability to monitor and troubleshoot voice back into the hands of the warfighter, which hasn’t been the case for over a decade. Sigma’s simple user interface meets the changing demographics of the Army Signal Corps, giving them a product that everyone can quickly learn and use. 
  • Interoperates with existing devices: With a standards-based approach, REDCOM has ensured that Sigma is interoperable with the existing deployed base of handsets. This results in cost savings for the Army by avoiding the “rip and replace” of tens of thousands of handsets. Sigma also works with NetOps solutions, allowing units to control bandwidth and allocate resources to voice and video.
  • A future-proof ecosystem: Sigma is a modern software solution in active development by a U.S. company with U.S.-based engineers. REDCOM has a proven track record of responding quickly to evolving customer requirements. Our development efforts are in sync with the Army’s operational pace, enabling us to deliver highly stable and reliable software at predictable intervals.
  • Integrated voice, video, and chat: Sigma supports the coalition environment with a nested voice capability across the services. Sigma’s lightweight video is optimized for DIL environments, meeting the needs of staff elements at multiple echelons of the Army. Finally, Sigma supports both XMPP and IRC chat, and our chat client is designed to increase the operational tempo and reduce the need for email. 
  • Flexible deployment options. REDCOM Sigma can be deployed on virtual machines, cloud environments, bare metal, or on REDCOM’s purpose-built XRI platforms. The XRI-400 is a low-SWaP, stand-alone device with RoIP, while the XRI-M4K is a module that brings the same functionality to Klas Voyager systems. Regardless of what hardware the Army is using, REDCOM provides an easy way to get Sigma onto the network.

 

REDCOM Sigma - voice, video, chat, and console in one

  

Expanding Real-time Tactical Comms with the Sigma C2 Console 

Since the Army’s initial adoption of the Sigma platform in 2020, REDCOM has continued to develop new features in Sigma, sparking continued interest from tactical users looking to modernize their networks. With the addition of the C2 Console to the Sigma software suite in 2022, REDCOM Sigma is positioned to be an inexpensive, easy-to-use solution when compared to legacy PTT solutions.  

Legacy PTT Console solutions within the tactical domain have grown too unstable, unreliable, complex, and expensive to maintain. Enter the REDCOM C2 Console: a modern, lightweight, easy-to-use tactical group communications application that is a part of REDCOM’s Sigma software.  

The REDCOM C2 Console provides tactical users with a single pane of glass to monitor and control all IP and RF comms on the C2 network. Users can quickly establish connections and create persistent patches to facilitate immediate comms between parties on disparate endpoints, including SIP devices, radio voice nets, or TSM talk groups. 

The C2 Console can be used as a simple call controller, bringing together multiple SIP devices. However, the real power comes with the RoIP functionality. Whether running Sigma on a REDCOM XRI platform or connecting a third-party gateway to Sigma, the C2 Console provides the means to dynamically control and patch together multiple radio nets and SIP endpoints through real-time drag-and-drop. 

 

REDCOM C2 Console Key Benefits over legacy PTT Console solutions:

  • Flexible licensing. No need to pay subscription fees. One license file is all that’s required to activate the C2 Console on your network. 
  • Reduces cyber risk. The REDCOM C2 Console does not have to adhere to Windows STIGs. The C2 Console is just an app in Sigma, so one scan of Sigma is all that’s required to get the software deployed on the tactical network. 
  • Single plane of glass. Unified interface for controlling all IP and RF comms, including TSM talk groups. 
  • No additional infrastructure. This solution allows for reduced infrastructure requirements for multiple host servers.

 

Sigma: The essential C2 platform for DoD network modernization 

With our Sigma C2 software, REDCOM has proven that we are an integral part of the Army’s network modernization efforts. REDCOM will continue to invest in R&D on the Sigma platform to meet evolving requirements and deliver enhanced functionality for our warfighters at the tactical edge. Adopting Sigma today will deliver tangible benefits — improved interoperability, mobility, resilience, and cost savings — while paving the way toward a JADC2 future. 

 

The following Army units have adopted Sigma: 

  • The Tactical Network Transport At-The-Halt (TN-T ATH) 
  • Tactical Network Transport On-The-Move (TN-T OTM) 
  • Enroute Mission Command (EMC) 
  • Commercial Coalition Equipment (CCE) 
  • Disaster Incident Response Emergency Communications Terminal (DIRECT)
  • Expeditionary Signal Battalion- Enhanced 
  • PdM SATCOM, Family of Terminals (FoT): T2C2 & SCOUT   
  • BVTC III  
  • PdM UNCI, ST 

REDCOM enters into CRADA with U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command C5ISR Center

| November 29, 2022

REDCOM Laboratories, Inc. announced that it has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, C5ISR Center. The goal is to develop and integrate REDCOM’s Sigma® with C5ISR/Electronic Warfare Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) C5ISR systems and their integration on vehicle platforms, as well as to further develop the CMOSS converged architecture.

REDCOM and C5ISR Center will both benefit from this collaborative effort by leveraging the resources of each to evaluate, test, and mature C5ISR Center’s converged architecture. REDCOM will help validate the architecture, find gaps and problems within the architecture, and provide potential solutions to C5ISR Center.

“We have been tracking the CMOSS, SOSA, and MOSA initiatives and are excited to see its progress. One of REDCOM’s core tenets is interoperability, and our C2 solutions have always embraced a standards-based approach. This means that we work with a variety of fielded solutions and rapidly insert new technology as it becomes available. Requiring all vendors to adhere to the same standards opens the door to previously stove-piped, proprietary solutions and allows the Army to realize greater flexibility and interoperability than ever before,” said Courtney Stiles of REDCOM. “To be able to prove out what is possible today and examine what else we can pull in at the Open Innovation Lab using their full suite of CMOSS infrastructure and working with other vendors is invaluable.”

The CRADA influences REDCOM’s Independent Research and Development (IRAD) investments in modular products to best address future open architecture requirements. The cooperative agreement will allow C5ISR Center and REDCOM to mutually gain from this collaboration by leveraging CMOSS with multiple capabilities to integrate multifunctional platform systems in support of the full spectrum of military operations.

About REDCOM
REDCOM Laboratories, Inc. specializes in the design and manufacture of advanced tactical and strategic communications solutions with a focus on interoperability, flexibility, and ease of use. REDCOM’s MIL-spec products are optimized for low size, weight, and power (SWaP), making them the ideal communications core for the tactical edge. REDCOM’s customers include all branches of the military, government agencies, emergency responders, integrators, and telecom service providers. For additional information, please visit the REDCOM website at http://www.redcom.com.

Code Talkers: Transmitting messages in Choctaw

| October 5, 2022

Code Talkers: World War One

The need for secure communication is as old as tactical communication itself. When the US Army entered combat during World War One, the communications gear of the 1918 era was crude by today’s standards but still highly effective within the prevailing combat environment in France. German forces quickly developed ways to listen in on American tactical communications. In response, the Army leveraged a unique element of American culture and diversity to create a highly effective and uniquely American solution for secure tactical communication.

Transmitting messages in Choctaw

The following are excerpts from a report written by Colonel A. W. Bloor, the commander of the 142nd Infantry Regiment. They provide first-hand, primary-source insight into the US Army’s unique development of encoded tactical communications during 1918:

In the first action of the 142nd Infantry Regiment at St. Etienne, it was recognized that of the various methods of liaison, the telephone presented the greatest possibilities—provided it could be used without hindrance and provided straight-to-the-point information could be given.

It was well understood however that the Germans were a past master of “listening in.” There was every reason to believe that every message or word going over our wires also went to the enemy. We felt sure the enemy knew too much. It was, therefore, necessary to code every message of importance, and coding and de-coding took valuable time.

It was remembered that the regiment possessed a company of Native Americans and that they spoke 26 different languages or dialects, only four or five of which were ever written. There was hardly a chance in a million that “Fritz” would be able to translate these dialects and the plan to have these Indians transmit telephone messages was adopted. Native Americans from the Choctaw tribe were chosen and placed in each telephone company.

A number of Indians were detailed for training in transmitting messages over the telephone. The training was carried out by the liaison officer Lieutenant Black. It was found that the Indian’s vocabulary of military terms was insufficient. The Indian term for “Big Gun” was used to indicate artillery. “Little gun, shoot fast” was substituted for “machine gun,” and the regiment’s battalions were indicated by “One, Two, or Three grains of corn.” It was found that the Indian tongues do not provide verbatim translation, but at the end of the short training period, the results were very gratifying. We were confident that the possibilities of the telephone were obtained without its hazards. 

C2 comms in one platform: improving interoperability while lowering lifecycle costs

| September 22, 2022

Today’s C2 communications are more complex and expensive than they need to be. All branches of the U.S. Military — and many coalition partners — are seeking next-gen technology to improve resiliency and mobility while simultaneously reducing costs and training time. REDCOM has always emphasized interoperability, ease of use, and flexibility. We built Sigma from the ground up based on these core tenets and to meet requirements for tactical users.

The REDCOM Sigma ecosystem

REDCOM Sigma takes formerly disparate hardware and software components and combines them into a lightweight, unified software instance. This provides tactical users with just one platform to buy, configure, deploy, and train on, greatly reducing complexity while boosting operational flexibility. The key benefits of REDCOM Sigma are:

  • Voice, video, chat, console, and radio interop in a single software instance
  • Military-grade software built for the tactical edge
  • One platform for controlling all IP and RF comms
  • Interoperable, standards-based, and fully scalable
  • Intuitive user interface is incredibly easy to use

REDCOM Sigma does all of this in an incredibly easy-to-use platform. New users can get up to speed on Sigma in hours or days — not weeks, thus vastly improving the operational tempo and paving the way to future concepts such as JADC2, CMOSS, and ACE. Sigma is already successfully deployed within the United States Army and Air Force.

C2 Console: Single pane of glass for all comms

In early 2022 REDCOM released major enhancements to the Sigma platform. The first of these is TSM talk group support, which allows Sigma to integrate seamlessly with TSM mesh networks. The second major feature is an integrated C2 Console, which gives warfighters a single pane of glass for monitoring and controlling all comms on the tactical network. The REDCOM C2 Console provides the following key benefits:

  • Unified interface for controlling all IP and RF comms, including TSM talk groups
  • Instantly patch together disparate endpoints
  • Operators can communicate (listen/talk) to any connection
  • Optimized UX built for warfighters at the tactical edge
  • Drastically reduces cost, infrastructure, & complexity

REDCOM Sigma: Deployable anywhere

REDCOM Sigma software is completely platform agnostic. It not only powers REDCOM’s purpose-built platforms, but it can also run on any third-party compute platform. Deployment scenarios include:

  • REDCOM Sigma XRI: A lightweight, low SWaP box with 4 analog audio interfaces for donor radios and can bridge multiple radio nets.
  • REDCOM Sigma XRI-M4K: A module designed specifically for the Klas Voyager system.
  • 3rd party compute platforms: Sigma can run bare metal or virtualized on standard servers with 64-bit Intel® & AMD processors.
  • CMOSS/SOSA: Demoed on various SOSA-aligned platforms from Curtiss-Wright and Spectranetix

Conclusion

Current deployed comms solutions suffer from numerous issues: they’re often hard to procure, take forever to set up, and force users to endure unreasonably long training sessions just to get up to speed. And even when fully deployed, recurring interoperability and usability issues are a constant threat to the mission. Sigma mitigates these issues by stripping out the complexity and combining all necessary C2 functions in one software instance that’s easy to procure, license, train, and deploy.

Command and Control is one of REDCOM’s core tenets. REDCOM built Sigma from the ground up as a flexible, easy to use, all-in-one Command and Control platform that forms the foundation for seamless communications in both current and future operating concepts. REDCOM has already tested Sigma in lab environments such as the Open Innovation Lab (OIL) and TSOA-ID and Sigma is proven in the field by the US Army and USAF.

Feature-rich C2 communications console for the tactical edge and first responder networks

| July 28, 2022

Revolutionizing the tactical communications console

When it comes to software-based dispatch consoles for military and public safety, users previously had only one choice. REDCOM has changed all that with the release of the Sigma C2 Console.

When developing the C2 Console, REDCOM did not adapt commercial software to the tactical environment. Rather, the Sigma C2 Console was built from the ground up with military and public safety users in mind. This means we focused on the areas most critical for the tactical domain: user experience (UX), simplicity, and scalability.

  • User experience: New users (whether they are Desktop communicators or personnel in the field) can get up to speed on the C2 Console in minutes and master the software in a matter of hours. The interface is intuitive, with all necessary functions and buttons in plain sight.
  • Simplicity: The REDCOM Sigma C2 Console includes all the expected console functions required by military users and first responders without the feature bloat. It runs on a standard web browser, which means the Console can be accessed from any device.
  • Scalable: the C2 Console scales across echelons. It can be used at large operations centers at the brigade or battalion level to monitor and control comms of hundreds of users, or it can be used by platoons to manage highly mobile comms of squads and fire teams.

Improve situational awareness in chaotic, contested, and DIL environments

A natural disaster, an emergency response situation, and tactical operations on the battlefield have one thing in common: chaos. In these scenarios, the ability to quickly and efficiently manage comms is a matter of life and death. The REDCOM C2 Console brings order to chaos, making it easy to monitor and control all tactical communications from a single screen. Endpoints can be radio nets, TSM talk groups, or any kind of IP device, and they can be positioned locally or remote. Can talk to end points one to one or patch together multiple in real time.

TSM MANET interoperability

The REDCOM C2 Console includes native support for talk groups on a TrellisWare TSM mobile ad-hoc network. TSM talk groups can be added as connections in the C2 Console app. Each TSM talk group can be bridged together with other TSM talk groups, radio nets, and SIP endpoints. This extends voice talk groups beyond the TSM network by linking talk groups with other analog radios and the rest of the C2 network.

Reduce costs and simplify complex operations at the tactical edge

Existing console products are too old, too complex, and too costly to meet the DoD’s doctrine that requires expeditionary forces to become faster, more mobile, and more efficient. Competitive console products require a dizzyingly complex setup of servers, software, and licenses. Even when properly installed and configured, users are presented with an impossibly convoluted interface that grinds tactical operations to a halt.

REDCOM’s C2 Console is refreshingly simple to procure, deploy, and learn. Because it’s a part of the REDCOM Sigma C2 software, activation is accomplished by using a simple feature license file. REDCOM Sigma is a complete software-based Command & Control solution with voice, video, chat, and conferencing. REDCOM Sigma® increases the warfighter’s operational flexibility while reducing size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements at the tactical edge. Sigma is based on open standards with a focus on interoperability, flexibility, and ease of use. Sigma and the C2 Console provide an interface that is clean and uncluttered, allowing tactical users to focus on the mission at hand, rather than jumping through UI hurdles. New users can learn the REDCOM C2 Sigma software in minutes.

Extending C2 capabilities with REDCOM Sigma and TSM Waveform Interoperability

| June 7, 2022

TSM network overview

With the battlespace becoming more contested and congested, warfighters need reliable, flexible, and scalable RF communications. The TrellisWare® TSM™ Waveform is an advanced infrastructure-less, non-routing Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) technology developed by TrellisWare Technologies, Inc. TSM enables true tactical agility with enhanced bandwidth, simultaneous voice and data, and Position Location Information (PLI).

The TSM Waveform is rapidly being adopted by the military due to its reliability in harsh RF environments such as subterranean tunnels or in and around urban buildings. As a TRL-9 technology, the TSM waveform has been deployed worldwide in highly challenging tactical environments, supporting U.S. and coalition partners in various critical missions. In fact, TSM support is already a threshold requirement for the U.S. Army and SOCOM.

The TSM waveform supports simultaneous voice and data, with dedicated bandwidth for each. Administrators can configure up to 32 voice talk groups on each TSM network that won’t interfere with, or be blocked by, data transmission. Think of a talk group as a single radio “channel” that can accommodate any number of TSM-enabled radios.

REDCOM Sigma Command & Control with TSM interoperability

REDCOM® Sigma® is a unified C2 platform with voice, video, chat, conferencing, and radio interoperability in a single platform. REDCOM Sigma 3.1 introduces integrated support for radio talk groups on a TrellisWare® TSM™ network. Combined with Sigma’s existing support for IP endpoints — and traditional RF devices on Sigma XRI — Sigma maintains its position as the premier command and control platform for the tactical edge.

Key Benefits:

  • Reduces radio requirements by requiring only a single TrellisWare gateway radio to access the entire TSM network
  • Extends voice talk groups beyond the TSM network by linking TSM talk groups with other analog radios and the rest of the C2 network
  • For units that have adopted the TSM waveform, REDCOM Sigma enables these warfighters to maintain interoperability with other branches or coalition partners on alternate/legacy waveforms (e.g. VHF/UHF)

REDCOM TSM Network Support

REDCOM Sigma 3.1 includes native interoperability with TSM talk groups. A simple IP connection to a TrellisWare gateway radio followed by quick setup in Sigma is all that is required, providing Sigma with access to all of the talk groups on a TSM MANET network. Because each talk group is a virtual radio network, REDCOM Sigma treats each talk group as its own independent radio net. This greatly reduces radio requirements at the tactical edge, since only one TrellisWare gateway radio is required for Sigma to access talk groups throughout an entire TSM MANET network.

On REDCOM Sigma XRI-400, since the connection to a TSM network is via IP, this does not use up one of the XRI’s four analog radio ports. This means a single Sigma XRI unit can bridge any number of IP endpoints with up to four analog radio nets and all available TSM talk groups on a single TSM MANET network.

REDCOM C2 Console and TSM network integration

The REDCOM C2 Console provides operators with a single pane of glass to monitor and control all communications within the tactical C2 network, including both SIP and radio endpoints. Every “connection” on the C2 Console is an individual Sigma-reachable endpoint, such as a SIP device, an analog phone via a SIP trunk, a radio voice net, or a TSM talk group.

Individual TSM talk groups can be added as connections in the C2 Console app. Each of these TSM talk groups can be bridged together with other TSM talk groups, radio nets, and SIP endpoints. These bridged connections are called patches, and they can be created on-the-fly by an operator simply by dragging and dropping connections together. In this manner, radio users on a TSM MANET network instantly have access to the rest of the C2 network as well as users on traditional VHF/UHF radio nets.

This solution is completely agnostic to the network, waveform, and device. This is a critical capability, as it maintains interoperability with legacy networks while allowing for the seamless adoption of new technology, such as the TSM waveform.

Are your multi-party secure comms ACC compliant?

| May 18, 2022

What are your plans for Secure Voice Modernization?

You can communicate securely and be ACC compliant by using General Dynamics Sectéra® vIPer™ phones, however, this is only point-to-point.

If you need to conference together multiple parties anywhere in the world using ACC-compliant Type 1 encryption, then you need the REDCOM Secure Voice Gateway (SVG). The REDCOM SVG enables any number of conferees to easily communicate securely whether they are on the red side or black side of the network.

NSA ACC-Compliant Secure Conferencing

Type-1 NSA ACC is the mandated standard for asymmetric cryptographic algorithms providing confidentiality services. An NSA Type 1 encryption product is a device or system certified by the NSA for use in cryptographically secured classified United States Government (USG) information. The USG classified data may range from Confidential to Secret to Top Secret.

The General Dynamics Sectéra vIPer is the only NSA-certified, ACC-compliant secure VoIP phone available for purchase today. The REDCOM SVG leverages these Sectéra vIPer phones to provide the encryption, while the REDCOM system handles the call control and conferencing capabilities.

The REDCOM SVG is easy to install and easy to use. These systems are already deployed within multiple Federal agencies and proven at the highest levels of government.

REDCOM SVG special features

In addition to robust call control and conferencing capabilities, the REDCOM SVG has some unique features that enhance security and quality of life:

  • Auto Re-Key – conducts periodic calls to the National Re-Key facility for your vIPer phones so you don’t have to do this manually
  • Auto Un-Lock – maintains an unlock state for your vIPer phones
  • MLS (Multi-Level Security) – Different classification levels can be in the same SVG yet segregated by clearance type. For example, Secret and Top-Secret conferences can run simultaneously on one system, while being completely separate.
  • RACCG (REDCOM Automatic Conference Code Generator) – self-provisioning periodic conference code generator (Daily, Weekly, Monthly)
  • MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) – provides calling party’s information to the secure enclave to allow them into the secure conference
  • Easily integrates with REDCOM’s Advanced Conferencing System (REDCOM Sigma®)

Secure your agency communications today with REDCOM SVG

The REDCOM Secure Voice Gateway is in use today and is trusted with some of the most secure communications in the world.

Note that we are not bound by supply chain constraints. We are able to fulfill orders for the REDCOM SVG immediately. Make the move to a REDCOM SVG while you still have time to comply with mandated Type-1 NSA ACC compliance standards.

For more information or for a demo of the REDCOM SVG, please fill out the form below:



REDCOM announces ZKX Solutions, a new business unit focusing on authentication for Zero Trust networks

| May 18, 2022

ZKX’s market-disrupting authentication software employs zero-knowledge proofs to help government and military organizations migrate existing IT infrastructures to Zero Trust networks.

ZKX improves security through zero-knowledge proofsREDCOM Laboratories, Inc. has announced the formation of a new independent business unit, ZKX Solutions. ZKX Solutions is focused on developing the next generation of cyber defense technology designed to be more secure, dynamic, and flexible than conventional multi-factor authentication products.

“Research and development for the ZKX product line has been ongoing at REDCOM for more than two years now. With the lab-ready code base finalized, now is the perfect time to spin up ZKX Solutions as its own entity,” said ZKX Chief Technologist Collin Sweeney.

The first release from ZKX Solutions is a robust authentication engine built on a foundation of zero-knowledge proofs. ZKX greatly increases operational flexibility and instantly improves security, because no secrets are stored on the server or transmitted on the network. The ZKX engine is a foundational technology for establishing a working Zero Trust architecture, particularly in tactical and disconnected environments. ZKX is purpose-designed to reduce the reliance on perimeter defense, making resources more secure on an instance-by-instance basis.

Sweeney continues: “Our ZKX engine is unique in that it handles user and device authentication simultaneously, making our software a direct replacement for — or supplement to — existing authentication platforms. The ZKX engine is completely agnostic to the devices, network, transport, and storage mechanisms you have in place, and is adaptable to any policy. This makes it incredibly easy to deploy ZKX into your network.”

While ZKX embodies fundamental principles of Zero Trust, one of the long-term goals of ZKX is Zero Trust interoperability. This is possible because ZKX leverages public information to authenticate users and devices, enabling the frictionless sharing of critical data in a more secure fashion.

For more information on ZKX, please visit the company’s new website at www.zkxsolutions.com

Stay up-to-date on the latest from ZKX Solutions by visiting and following the ZKX LinkedIn page

REDCOM secure client: improving tactical chat through new features 

| May 4, 2022

Last year we talked a bit about the current state of chat at the tactical edge. Chat has rapidly become a critical part of the C2 paradigm, but there is still much room for improvement. The latest release of the REDCOM Secure Client for Windows 5.2 introduces several innovations, delivering a robust and easy-to-use chat client for users at the tactical edge.

In this five-minute video, our Solutions Architect Derwin Melendez-Diaz walks you through some of the newest enhancements we made to the Secure Client for Windows:

 

Key chat challenges: resolved

Challenge: cognitive overload

Resolution: Secure Client chat panels can be resized, tiled, and moved around, placing the most important chat panels where you want them. Unnecessary elements — such as the dialer — can be hidden to maximize the space available for chat panels.

Challenge: urgent messages going unnoticed

Resolution: Users can now flag individual chat messages as urgent. This highlights the chat message in red for both the sender and receiver.

Challenge: searching for important messages

Resolution: Users can tag chat rooms with keywords and keyphrases to help certain messages stand out. The app supports both local key phrases (unique to the end user) and room key phrases (set by the chat room organizer).

Challenge: two separate apps for XMPP and IRC chat

Resolution: The latest release of REDCOM Sigma supports IRC gateways, allowing the Secure Client for Windows to access both XMPP and IRC chat sessions within one app.

Conclusion

REDCOM is always focused on building solutions that are highly flexible, easy to use, and interoperable, and we will continue to drive innovation for a better chat experience at the tactical edge. For more information, or for a demo of the REDCOM Secure Client, please reach out to sales@redcom.com.