4 ms·

I wonder if deployed around the world there is a network of radios sync by GPS to receive time encoded encrypted communications signals of every electrical powe

by xlayn 11y ago

I wonder if deployed around the world there is a network of radios sync by GPS to receive time encoded encrypted communications signals of every electrical powered devices configured to transmit according to the same principle and all the things about security are just a curtain behind the capability of capturing everything that has already been deployed. Given that this is CPU and subsystems related doesn't have anything to do with software running... it could be capture and executed by a routine in the CPU out of every possible observance by dedicated circuitry, this would fall under all the requisites mentioned by the poster Be emitted by the computer processor and other subsystems Escape the computer shielding Pass through the air or other obstructions Be accepted by the antenna Be selected by the receiver Neurosis off... Edit: Neurosis on You know what escapes computer shielding? cables... like the ones with cpus that are used for connecting to external devices... Neurosis off.

exDM69 11y ago
I recall seeing a cryptographic side channel attack based on radio frequency interference from the victim computer. I don't have a source for this but I'm sure someone will find a link soon enough.
- mtreis86 11y ago
  I remember this being done with microphones, listening to the clicks of the coils. Related? http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/acoustic/ http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/acoustic/ Edit, found in one of the links on that page, seems this is the same group http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/ecdh/ http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/ecdh/
lost_name 11y ago
Is what you're looking to be paranoid about? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_(codename) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_(codename)
- j_s 11y ago
  Also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Eck_phreaking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Eck_phreaking
  - Arubis 11y ago
    And thus, it's obligatory that someone recommend Neal Stephenson's _Cryptonomicon_, in which this features quite heavily.
    - ibmthrowaway218 11y ago
      And, within 24 hours or so someone will submit the Van Eck Phreaking Wikipedia page link as a standalone submission on HN.
      - fabulist 11y ago
        As long as we're making tangential recommendations and expecting to be reintroduced to things within 24 hours, I'd like to throw John Dies at the End into the ring.
        raddad 11y ago
        RF leaks are an old tune, NSA was using it back in the 60's I believe. There was an article in Wired about this topic in 2008[0] Gene Hackman and Will Smith in a movie Enemy Of The State (2009)[1] hinted at this technology. [0] http://www.wired.com/2008/04/nsa-releases-se/ http://www.wired.com/2008/04/nsa-releases-se/ [1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120660/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120660/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_10 (edit for formatting)
      - adenner 11y ago
        it was already done ~86 days ago, so it won't be back for a bit longer https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10684447 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10684447
      - 11y ago
lallysingh 11y ago
I feel like you've just written half of the script for the next Transformers movie.
WillKirkby 11y ago
There's this DEFCON talk that (among other things) covers how an unshielded display cable can potentially leak screen contents over RF. Well worth a watch if you've got the time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g9yUiAHiFo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g9yUiAHiFo
ikeboy 11y ago
If this was true, you'd expect hobbyist radio operators to notice, right? That increases the required conspiracy size by orders of magnitudes.
- xlayn 11y ago
  Out of the Neurosis joke area and in line with your hobbyist radio operator comment, probably the person who most know about how to perform radio transmissions using a component by re-purposing them are those who work shielding sensible components away from it. For example power bricks that contains every day more and more circuitry could implement a protocol of communication by de-modulating a message sent by AC and then sending via radio to the computer the message; process that's even easier with power cables with data lines.... like the usb cable.

by xlayn 11y ago

exDM69 11y ago

I recall seeing a cryptographic side channel attack based on radio frequency interference from the victim computer. I don't have a source for this but I'm sure someone will find a link soon enough.

mtreis86 11y ago
I remember this being done with microphones, listening to the clicks of the coils. Related? http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/acoustic/ http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/acoustic/ Edit, found in one of the links on that page, seems this is the same group http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/ecdh/ http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/ecdh/

lost_name 11y ago

Is what you're looking to be paranoid about? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_(codename) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_(codename)

j_s 11y ago
Also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Eck_phreaking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Eck_phreaking
- Arubis 11y ago
  And thus, it's obligatory that someone recommend Neal Stephenson's _Cryptonomicon_, in which this features quite heavily.
  - ibmthrowaway218 11y ago
    And, within 24 hours or so someone will submit the Van Eck Phreaking Wikipedia page link as a standalone submission on HN.
    - fabulist 11y ago
      As long as we're making tangential recommendations and expecting to be reintroduced to things within 24 hours, I'd like to throw John Dies at the End into the ring.
      - raddad 11y ago
        RF leaks are an old tune, NSA was using it back in the 60's I believe. There was an article in Wired about this topic in 2008[0] Gene Hackman and Will Smith in a movie Enemy Of The State (2009)[1] hinted at this technology. [0] http://www.wired.com/2008/04/nsa-releases-se/ http://www.wired.com/2008/04/nsa-releases-se/ [1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120660/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120660/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_10 (edit for formatting)
    - adenner 11y ago
      it was already done ~86 days ago, so it won't be back for a bit longer https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10684447 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10684447
    - 11y ago

lallysingh 11y ago

I feel like you've just written half of the script for the next Transformers movie.

WillKirkby 11y ago

There's this DEFCON talk that (among other things) covers how an unshielded display cable can potentially leak screen contents over RF. Well worth a watch if you've got the time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g9yUiAHiFo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g9yUiAHiFo

ikeboy 11y ago

If this was true, you'd expect hobbyist radio operators to notice, right? That increases the required conspiracy size by orders of magnitudes.

xlayn 11y ago
Out of the Neurosis joke area and in line with your hobbyist radio operator comment, probably the person who most know about how to perform radio transmissions using a component by re-purposing them are those who work shielding sensible components away from it. For example power bricks that contains every day more and more circuitry could implement a protocol of communication by de-modulating a message sent by AC and then sending via radio to the computer the message; process that's even easier with power cables with data lines.... like the usb cable.