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AES

Trimble RTX services encryption

What is changing?
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Data integrity and authenticity are critical to ensure Trimble RTX correction services are reliable and trustworthy. We take data security extremely seriously and leverage the most advanced technology available to protect our correction data streams. To this end, Trimble will be updating the Trimble RTX™ real-time correction streams to the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), providing further peace of mind for our users.

With the turn on date of the AES, Trimble RTX users can now be more confident that the received Trimble RTX correction data is provided by Trimble only. The additional security layer makes Trimble GNSS receivers less vulnerable to data pretending to be Trimble RTX correction data. Fake data could lead to unexpected effects like degraded performance, no applied correction or wrong positioning.

The newly encrypted Trimble RTX correction stream will be deployed in following locations.

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What is AES?
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The AES is a concept which requires the transmitter and the receiver of data to have the same unique security key.

The raw data which should be secured is going to be encrypted with the help of a complex security key. Once the data is secured it can only be made usable again together with the security key as shown in the figure below.

AES-encryption

This additional security layer further close security vulnerabilities and increase the robustness of the overall system against cyber crime.

What is the impact on customers?
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The AES turn on affects all Trimble RTX and Trimble xFill compatible devices, regardless of the transmission method L-Band or IP.

To make use of the newly secured Trimble RTX data stream it is necessary to have an adequate firmware version running on the device. This creates the potential need to update the customer’s device firmware to a minimum required version.

It is important to emphasize that customers using a firmware below a minimum required version will not be able to make use of Trimble RTX correction services any longer and need to upgrade as soon as possible.

If the customer’s firmware is already above the minimum required firmware version no action is needed.

How can I work through this change?
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1.Understand what firmware you have installed on your device

2.Search your device on the receiver instruction page

3.Compare the required minimum firmware version with your current installed version.

If your current firmware version number is:

  • higher than the one in the table you do not need to upgrade your device
  • lower than the one in the table you have to upgrade your device

4.To perform the upgrade please follow the explained steps provided through the device search

In case you are not able to find your device please call our customer care teams.

What if I use Trimble RTX corrections delivered via Internet (IP)?
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Trimble RTX corrections delivered via Internet Protocol (IP) will change on Dec 1, 2022.

As Trimble xFill is not available via IP, users will need to update firmware to continue using the feature.

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