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Newly Declassified Window Film Keeps Out Snoops
An anonymous reader writes to describe a newly declassified window film from CPFilms Inc. that could give war drivers fits. Scientific American has the story, which includes a rather dismissive comment by Bruce Schneier.
"Once manufactured under an exclusive contract with the US government, this recently declassified window film is now available to the public. But don't expect to see it on store shelves anytime soon. Currently, it's only available directly from the manufacturer, and at prices that will likely make it prohibitive for all but the wealthiest home owners.
The two-millimeter-thick coating can block Wi-Fi signals, cell phone transmissions, even the near-infrared, yet is almost transparent... It can keep signals in (preventing attempts to spy on electronic communications) or out, minimizing radio interference and even the fabled electronics-destroying electromagnetic pulse generated by a nuclear blast."
"minimizing radio interference and even the fabled electronics-destroying electromagnetic pulse generated by a nuclear blast."
yeah, but what about the walls? will the walls block it? if not then this stuff is not useless, but not as effective as one would imagine. not to mention that if a nuke went off I think we would have more problems than some EM pulse coming in through the windows...
Just make your house into one big Faraday cage, but what about the chimneys?
what I'm trying (and probably saying) is that you plug a hole, the waves will go through another. (not saying that we shouldn't plug them, just that we can't really stop until it is all sealed, in which case you live in a bubble.)
Walls tend to attenuate EM radiation much more than windows. If a building has a metal frame, which any secure building should, then it is already reasonably secure everywhere except the windows.
Incidentally, the original article is down - slashdotted, already?. Does this tech work via the Faraday cage principle similar to the mesh on your Microwave oven view window?
"Tinfoil hat" for your home blocks comms; Wednesday June 27, @01:06PM; Rejected
If you want to keep up with news like this (recall that "news" comes from Middle English for "new thing") just drop New Scientist and Scientific American into your RSS reader.
Mongrel News all the news that fits and froths
That's what noisemakers are for. A cute little handy device that fills the relevant frequencies with static. Sure, they're illegal here, but they are near impossible to find and provide you with a full film without any cellphone based interruption.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.