The US National Security Agency has modified Google’s Android
operating system to create smart phones that use powerful encryption to
protect every call. The “Fishbowl” devices were announced today at the RSA security conference in San Francisco by Margaret Salter, the agency’s Technical Director,
who said she hoped to encourage companies to adopt some of ideas used in
the system.
Such was the interest in the NSA’s presentation that this reporter –
and most others – weren't able to gain access to the room where the demo
was held. Australian IT publication SC Magazine did, though,
reporting that Salter said 100 Fishbowl phones are being used to test the new
technology. The Fishbowl phones allow fully encrypted calls that can be
used to discuss the most classified information. Commercially available
phones would require NSA employees to “speak in code”, SC say
The NSA has made rough
specifications of the system available
online. They show that Fishbowl phones make calls using a Skype-style
VOIP app that routes connections through NSA servers.