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← Gretag Data
2048 kb/s serial link encryptor
Gretacoder 605 was a link data encryptor, developed by Gretag
in Regensdorf (Switzerland) in the mid-1990s. It was intended for the
continuous encryption and decryption of serial (RS422) data at speeds up to
2048 kb/s (synchronous). It was the successor to the earlier
Gretacoder 524 and is backwards compatible.
It was available with a variety of interface options, such as V.35.
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All controls are at the front panel, together with two security modules (SM),
left and right, and a physical key.
The physical key locks the right SM and prevents the case from being opened.
The user interface consists of a series of buttons and an 2-row LCD display
at the top left.
The image on the right shows the front panel of a typical Gretacoder 605.
The case and the front panel layout is identical to that of the earlier
(and slower) Gretacoder 524. It is also identical to
the X.25 variant, the Gretacoder 545 [1], although the case of the
latter was grey.
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The Gretacoder 605 was part of a range of encryption devices that were
released over time, consisting of the 522, 524, 526 and 605 models,
that are more or less (backwards) compatible with each other, differing
only in speed and interface. To allow customization, the interface was
generally implemented as a separate daughter card, making the unit
suitable for wide range of applications and networks.
The device shown here supports the V.35 standard.
Earlier versions of the Gretacoder 605 contained the AT&T logo,
as Gretag was acquired by AT&T (USA) in 1991. In 1995, the company was
sold to IRE (later: SafeNet)
and the AT&T logo disappeared.
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Please note that the Gretacoder 605 does not contain a physical MODEM.
It can only encrypt serial data in a variety of formats, but needs an
external modem in order to connect it to the outside world (e.g. via
telephone lines). Two separate proprietary connectors are available at the
back. The leftmost one connects to the device that needs to be protected
(plain text), whilst the rightmost one delivers the cipher text.
The Gretacoder supports two encryption standards: (1) Gretag's own
proprietary block cipher with a key length of 64 or 128 bits, or (2)
industry standard DES with a key length of 56 bits [2].
The latter was supplied for customers who wanted an industry standard,
despite the fact that by the early 1990s DES increasingly became critisized
as being unsafe.
The in-house developed 128 bit key block cipher provided much stronger
security.
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The Gretacoder 605 is built inside a rather neat cream metal case,
that measures only 22 x 7 x 36.5 cm. The case consists of two parts:
A metal frame holding the PCBs and the front panel, and a cream
outer shell. The latter is held in place by just two large bolt at the rear.
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The outer shell can only be removed when the two bolts are taken out
and the
physical key
(at the right of the front panel) is released.
The internal frame
holds the front panel and two PCBs:
the Main PCB at the bottom and a
smaller interface board at the top.
Depending on the customer's requirements, a different interface board
would be used. The interface connects to the main PCB by means of a
40-pin ribbon cable.
The interface shown here has two proprietary rectanglular connectors,
marked PLAIN and CIPHER.
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At the heart of the main PCB is the M80C154 microcontroller, which is
compatible with the industry standard 8051. Several supporting chips
are present (e.g. RAM and serial interfaces) and the firmware is contained
in EEPROM. Encryption and decryption is implemented in
two custom chips on the main PCB. The main PCB is slightly
different from the one in the Gretacoder 524.
Newer generation custom chips have been used,
and provisions for the two DB25 connectors at the rear have been removed.
Interfacing is now always done via a daughter card.
At the rear, the main PCB has a female DB9 socket marked REMOTE CONTROL.
The purpose of this socket is currently unknown, but it seems to be a
standard asynchronous RS-232 port, probably used for a controlling terminal.
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As Gretag is no longer in business, background information about the
company and its devices are very hard to find.
Unfortunately, we have no further information about this device at
present. If you have more, different or better information, please
contact us. Your help is appreciated.
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Wednesday 27 March 2013. Last changed: Saturday, 24 February 2018 - 09:01 CET.
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