GNU Telephony Introduces Secure Calling Initiative

GNU Telephony has announced that, with the latest release of the GNU RTP Stack (GNU ccrtp 1.5), the group is introducing a free software framework for developing applications that use the secure RTP profile for VoIP and also a GNU GPL licensed library implementation of Phil Zimmermann's ZRTP protocol for voice encryption as used in "Zfone."

By offering a native secure RTP framework that can be directly embedded in newly developed VoIP applications (RTP or Real-time Transport Protocol defines a good standardized packet format for delivering audio and video over the Internet), GNU Telephony intends to promote the development and widespread use of secure, encrypted and intercept free voice and video communication services worldwide.

The Twinkle softphone package, immediately available with SRTP/ZRTP support, is the first complete free software package to make use of Secure call features offered in the GNU RTP Stack.

According to a group statement, the GNU RTP stack can be used to develop secure communications for GNU/Linux hosted applications. The stack may also be used to develop application on various BSD systems including Mac OS/X, on Microsoft Windows, and even for embedded systems. The group has tested and built the GNU RTP Stack with Handhelds Open Embedded build environment, and they look forward to implementing a Twinkle based secure calling solutions on Linux kernel powered cell phones in the future.

Securing RTP sessions is part of GNU Telephony's vision to help make passive voice communication intercept a thing of the past. By making "secure by design" encryption capabilities simple to embed, and by enabling the largest possible participation in developing such solutions through free software, they hope to break down those remaining barriers that prevent secure telephony from being widely deployed over next generation telephone networks.