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How PALS Help Secure Nuclear Weapons
Hugh Pickens writes "The BBC reported last week that until 1998 no code or dual key system was required to arm British nuclear weapons. Bombs were armed by inserting a bicycle lock key (video) into the arming switch and turning it 90 degrees. Permissive Action Links (PALs) were introduced in the 1960s in America to prevent a mad General or pilot launching a nuclear war on their own and to control nuclear weapons that were at least partially controlled by other nations but as late as 1974, when an armed quarrel broke out between two members of NATO, Greece and Turkey, the Secretary of Defense learned that many tactical nukes were still not equipped with PALS. It has been reported that PALs have been installed on Pakistan's nuclear weapons to disarm or disable their triggering mechanism if the wrong code is entered or if the bomb is tampered with in any manner."
This is one of those things that I'm glad I didn't know about at the time. Lest I run and hide in my basement with a tin foil hat on for the next undefined number of years.
It's because British people are inherently sensible and would not start Armageddon without a jolly good reason. Unlike all you mad foreigners.
ccalam - acoustic versions of new songs.
-b.
Just what PALS are for! Stopping you from doing the stupid things that can get you killed.
You still have to wonder if a determined(and clever) mad general still could set off armageddon though(a la Dr. Strangelove)
Monstar L
I've always wondered. Given the state of Pakistan and all that, I can truely sleep better at night knowing this. I just hope we're not deluded into a false sense of security.
Life is not for the lazy.
So, in other words, the British nukes could have been armed by anyone possessing a Bic pen.
But this article was written in 2005. FTL
As of 1998, I could sleep safely in the knowledge that throughout the ranks of government and civil service there is never any more than one megalomaniac who would happily cause hundreds of thousands to die(*) while riding his power trip.
(*) I was going to make that into a link, but there were so many choices.
Have to wonder if they restricted pens in the area of the nukes, since it's so easy to pick a bicycle lock with one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hsM88Wx8QQ
Probably not. Wouldn't be sporting to pick the lock and all, so no Brit would ever do that.
A Human Right
... an idiot would have on his luggage!
12345 forever, baby!
The Mongrel Dogs Who Teach
Colonel Campbell: You have to insert the three different PAL cards to disable Metal Gear, Snake. Snake: But I only have one card. Otacon: Its a temperature based mechanism, you have to insert the card at room temperature, and at a hot and a cold temperature. Snake: How does that help secure Metal Gear? Otacon: Don't you read slashdot? Newb...
Jim Hacker: Prime Minister
Sir Humphrey: Cabinet Secretary
---
Sir Humphrey: "With Trident we could obliterate the whole of Eastern Europe."
Jim Hacker: "I don't want to obliterate the whole of Eastern Europe."
Sir Humphrey: "It's a deterrent."
Jim Hacker: "It's a bluff. I probably wouldn't use it."
Sir Humphrey: "Yes, but they don't know that you probably wouldn't."
Jim Hacker: "They probably do."
Sir Humphrey: "Yes, they probably know that you probably wouldn't. But they can't certainly know."
Jim Hacker: "They probably certainly know that I probably wouldn't."
Sir Humphrey: "Yes, but even though they probably certainly know that you probably wouldn't, they don't certainly know that, although you probably wouldn't, there is no probability that you certainly would."
Are we really relying on (essentially) a mod chip to protect civilized nations from rouge terrorist extremist that might one day take control of Pakistan's nukes? I've modded an XBox before and it is not that difficult to mod/unmod. Are we really so egotistical to believe that there are no engineers in Pakistan? If this is our protection, then we are all a screwdriver and soldering iron away from oblivion. This doesn't make me feel safer. In fact, because of this, I am sure alot less attention has been paid to these weapons because people do not understand how easily software can be bypassed.
Permissive Action Links (PALs) were introduced in the 1960s in America to prevent a mad General or pilot launching a nuclear war on their own
Wow, that glosses over reality very nicely. The codes were all zeros until the 80's, because said generals refused to implement a system that would prevent them from "hitting back".
He rightly insisted on Permissive Action Links for the US Strategic Air Command Minuteman missiles and bombs - so that they could only be armed and detonated by the the correct codes from the President or the rest of the chain of command. However, it turns out, that whilst McNamara was nominally in charge, that SAC decided to secretly order all the PAL codes to be set to eight zeros, so that there would not be any delays caused by communications problems during a nuclear war.
(From http://yorkshire-ranter.blogspot.com/2006/03/how-not-to-write-about-uk-nuclear.html)
What's hilarious is that there were extensive efforts to implement PAL securely; all sorts of tamper-proofing and obfuscation in the weapons to make it such that you'd have to have a fair bit of training to have any hope of setting one off. Roughly the equivalent of installing high-security deadbolts throughout your property, and leaving the key in the front door lock.
Please help metamoderate.
And furthermore: Likewise with Clinton:
If you REALLY want to be safe, just don't have bombs. Sure, some other country can have some and threaten us with them, but they'll be the tyrants, not us, and I'm sure when their citizens see how their government acts, they will be scared of them and not trust them or be happy themselves. We just have to take that risk if we really believe in freedom, which includes believing in the freedom of others and not being a possible looming threat to others. People look at North Korea and react by thinking "OMG, that nut could nuke us at any time!", is that how we (as people, in any country) should want to be seen? When people go to war, it's not actually the citizens, most often it's an extremist (whether they be politician or vigilante or whatever), because war is an extreme "solution". It's not really a solution, it's just an end. An end to whatever argument to get it over with and to start the aftermath already. Having bombs on standby does not really help anyone, it just increases the chance of everyone killing each other.
Twinstiq, game news
How do we secure them from our insane elected "leaders"? If George W decides that Iran really is the antichrist, he may send in some warheads to make them glow like Vegas. Vladimir Putin is currently putting Russia on nuclear alert because George W wants to built an anti-missile shield around Russia. We might as well let the things be secured by bicycle key at this rate!
Anti-Globalism
This chapter, from Security Engineering - The Book has a good overview of this.
This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
Given that only 1 nation has ever used nuclear weapons in a wartime aggressive attack, most of what is going on with nuclear weapons is about threats, not about usage. "I'll use it if you do ..."
When you're 30-100 times the size of your opponent, having a nice, methodical system of locks and approvals by which you decide and release your forces works fine. You can spare the bombs when you have 3000 and you spend 600 Billion a year on the military.
When you're the little guy with a nuke or two, or like Pakistan with 8 tests, nuclear since 1998, and maybe 30-50 weapons - you need to have the threat that you'll use them very real. You need the idea that some mad general might fly off and send the nukes off a-bombing for the threat of using them to remain credible.
The British have to call the white house to launch, the system is inoperable otherwise. Our own systems developed in the 50s were to expensive for us to run, we could not compete with the superpowers of the day. We eventually gave the technology to the French, Ariane rockets come from this. Sorry no supporting documentation should be easy enough to verify.
I thought the U.S. missiles in Turkey were removed as part of negotiation that ended the Cuban-Turkish Missile Crisis. I believe that was one of the terms Robert Kennedy worked out with the Soviets: we'll withdraw our missiles from your backyard if you'll withdraw your missiles from our backyard.
Also, rumor has it the Soviet submarine K129 was hijacked by elite troops, and tried to launch a missile at Pearl Harbor. If this happened, and the sub did try to launch a missle, the missile's safety mechanisms caused it to self-destruct, taking the sub down to the bottom of the sea. There's a lot of rumor and conspiracy theory about it, but Project Jennifer seems to have been about recovering the sunken Soviet sub.
-- haaz.
Which is just to say that the US nuclear weapon program is one of the greatest examples of pork in history. The pork potion of the program was initiated in response to questionable analysis by the CIA, and lead to such events as the Iran-Contra drug running scandals. It is important to note that up to the point of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the CIA was reporting that Union was stable, strong, and an imminent threat. The 2.2 trillion 1980's dollar spent, along with an equal amount spent by the political successor of that administration, should be the envy of any tax and spend democrat, and has surely lead to a total deficit that will likely be at least 75% of GDP by the end of 2008.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
I'm pretty anti-nuke, but your argument just makes me think about being "dead right". It's like entering an intersection when you have the green but someone is running the red- you'll be in the right on the accident report, but you'll still be dead. That said, having the sheer number of warheads in existence that we have is just asking for the laws of probability to catch up to us with an accident. Let alone not using/sharing the PALs...
Wait does the guy in the video arm that fucking bomb?
Come on! Someone else admit it.
I can't be the ONLY geek and "WarGames" fan to have once used "CPE1704TKS" or "CPE-1704-TKS" as a password. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086567/goofs
The Brits don't need all that security stuff on their A-Bombs. They keep their madmen out of government and the armed forces. In America, they promote them.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
The Brigadier: [Describing the secret missile-sites information hidden in the safe of the cabinet minister] ...and naturally the only country that could be trusted with such a role was Great Britain.
The Doctor: Well, naturally; I mean, the rest are all foreigners!
MGS for PSX taught me all I need to know about the PALS authentication system and international terrorism. Campbell : I'm afraid so. At the very least, they've got their hands on a real nuclear warhead. Snake : Isn't there some kind of safety device to prevent this kind of terrorism? Campbell : Yes. Every missile and warhead in our arsenal is equipped with a PAL, which uses a discreet detonation code. Snake : PAL? Campbell : Permissive Action Link. A safety control system built into all nuclear weapons systems. But even so, we can't rest easy. Snake : Why not? Campbell : Because the DARPA Chief knows the detonation code. Snake : But even if they have a nuclear warhead, it must've been removed from its missile. All the missiles on these disposal sites are supposed to be dismantled. It's not that easy to get your hands on an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missle). Campbell : That used to be true, but since the end of the Cold War you can get anything if you have enough money and the right connections.
Mild-mannered college student by day, DinoPark Tycoon by night.
No sane leader threatens directly to use their nukes. At least not publicly.
Nations with nuclear weapons generally have a policy that they will not use them except under 2 conditions.
1) You invade us.
2) You nuke us first.
If everyone has nukes, and no one uses theirs first, then no one will use them at all.
Nukes on a submarine are a deterrent as a 2nd strike option. Targeting a nuke silo is fairly easy. You just figure out where it is and aim for them first, and enemy cities second. Targeting a nuclear submarine (or one of Russia's nuke trains) that move around all the goddamn time and are pretty hard to spot is effectively impossible.
END COMMUNICATION
...that Pakistan's nukes do NOT have PALs installed.
So somebody has got it wrong. Either they had them in 2003 or they didn't - or only some of them have it. The article I read said that Pakistan relied on separating the fissile material and the rest of the weapon components to keep them secure. And that Pakistan has not and will not reveal the location of their weapons to the US, fearing that the US would take them out if the US perceived they were at threat of being seized by Islamic militants in the country, leaving Pakistan defenseless against India's nuclear arsenal.
I suspect the earlier article about PALs was propaganda intended to allay people's fears that Pakistan's nukes are inadequately controlled.
Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
I mean, have you ever really looked at the mechanics of a vintage MG?
The system needs to be secure against two compromised people. As an example of two compromised people getting together in the same room and pulling off something crazy, I have two words: Harris and Klebold.
That that is is that that that that is not is not.
But, this info comes from a Finnish newspaper, cannot remember which, and we have strict social-democratic and multicultural self-censorship in place, so it may be inaccurate.
'Once scientists, even the dim-witted social scientists, get muzzled, the Western Civilization is finished.' - oldhack
The actual keys (of which I have held one) are not bicycle lock keys, they merely share a similar outword appearence/size. The key is a heck of a lot more complex, as was the mechanism (and each key was unique). Furthermore, each weapon was guarded by groups of soldiers with very clear orders to shoot *anyone* who tried to gain access without the proper authorization. When tensions increased and aircraft were on alert (armed up on the flight line), the guards had orders to shoot at any aircraft attempting to take off with a live weapon, there was also a system of gates to prevent an aircraft from reaching the runway without the proper permits.
Part of the reason we didn't use PALS was that we were in closer proximity to the USSR, with less warning. Our government was (and still is) less resilient to a suprise attack than say the US. One suprise strike on London could eliminate our civilian chain of command instantly, the lack of PALS meant our forces could react to such events faster.
Fact is it worked, we also didn't have nuclear weapons going 'astray' back then either.
Plas don't let pals use nuclear weapons.
... and then they built the supercollider.
Imagine it, all the nuclear nations in the world get together and define the standard way to secure the complex weapons of destruction. The minimum amount a pin code has to have, the dual key system, all of it. Oh, and while they are talking, maybe we should talk about nuclear disarmament too.
It's amazing, all this hubbub over open voting machines, and no-one knows how easy it is to brute force a nuke.
~Sticky
/0000
//0001
/..//4242 KABOOM!
I was 2nd in command of a three man Combat Targeting Team back in the 60's. Our mission was to enter the launch codes into the missile guidance section and to optically align the missile to true north.
.38 revolver and we worked with the two man concept that we knew the job and we would shoot the other if something unusual was taking place.
Our work of course caused us to carry classified information such as launch codes, war plans, etc. we had top secret crypto clearances for this work and while we were in the missile silo's actually performing our work we were protected by air police who would repel any intruders that might try to penetrate the missile site while it was open.
We each carried a sidearm usually a
To get into the missile site we had to authenticate with secret codes and one time the launch commander at the launch control facility mis-authenticated my team leader's code and so they sent out a strike team to apprehend us.
We carried launch codes and so we forced to defend them by drawing our weapons and the strike team thought we were enemies impersonating Air Force personnel trying to illegally enter a missile silo and so we all had our weapons drawn and what stopped any more escalation was that the air policeman who had guard duty with us personally knew one guy from the strike team.
Everyone there was doing what they were trained to do but the circumstances made things real hairy. I reflect sometimes on what might have happened if the two air police did not recognize each other.
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make
I wonder. Are the nukes that the Israelis are not supposed to have equipped with PALS, or just a quick pushbutton switch so they can nuke Iran so much faster?
The text is deeply misleading when it refers to an "armed struggle between two members of NATO" in 1974. The only armed conflict was between Turkey and Cyprus. Cyprus is an independent, sovereign nation, it's not part of Greece, and it's not part of NATO. The fact that the conflict was between Turkey and Greek-speaking Cypriots doesn't change that fact.
In 1974 Greece was under a CIA-backed military Junta. They orchestrated a coup in Cyprus (with the knowledge and backing of the CIA) that deposed the left-leaning president and installed a nationalist puppet regime for a week. The coup leaders were rabidly anti-Communist and anti-Turkish Cypriot, and indiscriminately targetted communists and Turkish Cypriots. A week later, ostensibly under its obligation as a Guarantor Power and to protect the Turkish-speaking minority, Turkey invaded Cyprus. The coup leaders fled, the Greek officers leading the National Guard fled, the leaderless National Guard was crushed, Cyprus was partially occupied and partitioned, and the Greek Junta collapsed in confusion.
It greatly benefit other countries, like the USA and the UK, to present the problem as being between Greece and Turkey, as that then gives the impression that Greek and Turkish diplomats could solve the problem by sitting down and talking about it. The BBC, which should know better, talks about "the disputed island of Cyprus". However, Greece has never had a territorial claim on Cyprus, and apart from a few loony right-wing Greek-Cypriot nutjobs, nobody in Cyprus wants that either.
Whatever your position and view on the Cyprus conflict, Greece and Turkey were never fighting each other. Aided and abetted by loony nationalists in both communities, they simply fucked Cyprus one after the other.
Disclaimer: I'm Greek Cypriot, but I have no love for Greece.
UK != England
Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals... except the weasel."
I don't know about you, but when I buy a nuke, I want to buy the actual nuke, not a "license" to launch one. I'm not willing to accept that mine might be disabled because the provider has gone out of business and it no longer accepts my license key.
This is bullshit, and the whole reason I've been boycotting the nukes bing sold by the NNSA and their watchdogs.
The television will not be revolutionized.
You've got to love that 'Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb' reference at http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb/nsam-160/pal.html
Hint: Last line...
Types of PALs
There have been a number of different types of PALs used over the years.
Combination lock
The earliest control mechanism was a three-digit combination lock. Later versions were four-digit locks designed to accommodate split-knowledge, where two different individuals could each have half the key. The combination lock can do different things. Some block the volume into which firing components must be inserted, others block electrical circuits, while still others prevent access to the fuzing and arming mechanisms.
These locks were in use at least as recently as 1987. In 1981 -- almost 20 years after PALs were invented -- about half of the U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe were still protected by mechanical locks [SF87].
CAT A
CAT A PALs, intended for use on missiles, were electromechanical switches. The arming input was a 4-digit decimal number. (Some sources say it was a 5-digit number.) Crews used a portable electronic device that plugged into the weapon to arm it.
CAT B
The CAT B PAL, used on bombs, was similar in spirit to the CAT A, but used fewer wires. This permitted remote control of the PAL from an airplane cockpit. With the CAT B, it is also possible to check the code, relock the weapon, or rekey it. Later models of the CAT B included a limited-try feature, rekeying, and a code-controlled lock.
CAT C
The CAT C PAL accepts 6-digit keys. A limited-try feature disables the bomb if too many incorrect keys are entered. Most references omit the CAT C. It may just be a later model of the CAT B.
CAT D
The CAT D PAL accepts 6-digit keys. A given PAL can accept a number of different keys, permitting different groups of weapons to be unlocked with one transmission. Some keys are used for training; others are used to disarm the weapon or to disable it. One source [CAH84] suggests that PAL codes can also be used to vary the yield on some weapons. There are a number of selectable mechanisms to disable the bomb. In addition, there are "violent or nonviolent methods for destroying the warhead or making it irreparably nonfunctional" [C87c]. (One report, which I have not yet seen confirmed in the literature, is that the violent option involves a shaped charge which destroys the symmetry of the pit. It is thus no longer able to fission until it has been remachined -- and machining plutonium is non-trivial.) One reference suggests that there is a remote disable option on some PALs.
CAT F
The CAT F PAL appears to be similar to the CAT D, but it accepts a 12-digit key.
The 1984 price for a CAT D PAL was $50,000 [CAH84].
I haven't yet found anything about setting C.R.M.-114 discriminators to "FGD 135", let alone "OPE"...
The abreviated version. ...
...
...
Lieutenant Colonel Jack D. Ripper: I would love to come Lionel but the string in my leg has gone
Air Chief Marshal Lionel Mandrake: Come here Ripper, the Redcoats are comming!
There, fixed that little issue.
Je me souviens.