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                Date: 1999-11-28
                 
                 
                TEMPEST und die NSA
                
                 
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      Crypto-Archivar John Young über TEMPEST - die  
Bildschirmabstrahlung als Angriffspunkt für elektronische  
Lauschattacken. 
Das posting ging an die [ziemlich karätig besetzte] ukcrypto  
mailing list, was den letzten Abschnitt verständlich macht.  
Dass jede Recherche zu TEMPEST in Cambridge beginnen  
sollte, ihr Ende aber sei in Fort Meade, ist dann klar, wenn  
man weiß, dass Ross Anderson [auch auf der Liste ist ] von  
der Uni  Cambridge ziemlich gut über TEMPEST Phänomene  
Bescheid weiss, mehr als er wissen wahrscheinlich nur die  
Herren von der in Fort Meade ansässigen NSA. 
 
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The world-class Tempest experts on this list will excuse my  
temerity of clumsily pursuing the topic. Response from  
outside the would be welcome to supplement a few inquiries  
we've made in the US. 
 
Is it not the case that "anti-Tempest" is a redundancy,  
"Tempest" meaning measures taken against compromising  
emanations from electronic equipment, cabling, wiring,  
peripherals, even from metal objects such as radiators and  
piping which may serve as antenna-like devices (your house  
wiring may be broadcasting your most intimate cyber- 
secrets, pre- and post-encryption.) 
 
There are Tempest products available in the commercial  
market, many of which have evolved from military, intel and  
law enforcement programs. However, the most effective of  
them do not rise to the level of military requirements and even  
then are export restricted. Is that the case elsewhere? 
 
As an alternative to the traditional Faraday cage we mention  
a type which is available. That is the metalized fabric tent or  
portable shielded enclosure. A US company, BEMA, makes  
portable enclosures of various sizes, including desktop  
models. Have a look: 
 
http://cryptome.org/bema-se.htm
                   
 
The head of BEMA says there has been a substantial  
increase in purchases of their products recently, in the US  
and outside (exports to NATO mil/gov/gov-contractors are  
permissable). 
 
For more technical details there's an August 1999 paper,  
"Analysis of Shielded Tents and Other Electrically Thin  
Shielded Rooms:" 
 
http://www.emcs.org/pdf/99symp/00027.pdf (5 pp., 738K ! ) 
 
We must call attention to what is probably the most  
informative Web site on publically available Tempest  
information at: 
 
http://www.eskimo.com/~joelm/tempest.html
                   
 
There you discover links to more information than can be  
consumed in a sitting, the exemplary work at Cambridge  
centered in the table. 
 
The threat to cryptographic security of Tempest technology is  
a story worth writing, super-ept much needed, an interview  
which should begin in Cambridge and end in Ft. Meade. 
 
 
 
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edited by Harkank 
published on: 1999-11-28 
comments to office@quintessenz.at
                   
                  
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