These are analogue radios, meaning their traffic is easily intercepted. One of these is a cheap licenced radio and the other is a licence-free PMR446 radio, costing around a tenner off Amazon. Neither are secure methods of communications.

We have overheard confidential and highly sensitive traffic on the licence-free radios, potentially aiding the worst kinds of threats within our society.

Is your organisation using this kind of radio? Has a department decided to buy a set and believe that PMR does actually mean “private mobile radio”? If so, anyone can listen into your traffic using a similar radio.

There are certainly uses for these radios, but the users must be aware that traffic can be easily intercepted. Even “privacy codes” do not stop someone from using an SDR (pictured, middle) or scanner to listen to your traffic.

If you do see radios like this pop up around your site, it’s worth checking if they are secure, or if procedures are in place to protect sensitive information.