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Navy Wants Cyber Weapons That Shoot Data Beams
ectotherm writes "By 2018, the US Navy hopes to equip its fighter jets with the ability to shoot data streams containing 'specialized waveforms and algorithms,' useful in an electronic attack or cyber-invasion. A few non-classified details here."
http://74.125.153.132/search?q=cache:http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,212940,00.html&hl=en&strip=1
Er, not really. If you're familiar with TEMPEST this idea is really intriguing.
For those of you that are unaware, TEMPEST attacks are where you deduce information by monitoring the interference electronics put out. Usually RF interference, but you can deduce a hell of a lot from power usage too. This stuff ranges from reading keyboard and mouse input to reading what your monitor is displaying. This is all 15-20 year old tech, and just shy of civilian level already. Sourceforge even had an mp3 player that would work by displaying black and white patterns on your monitor to turn it into an AM/FM transmitter.
The concept of sending high powered interference to try to disrupt a machine is really interesting. I'm not saying its easy or possible, but its by no means impossible, nor is it easy to prevent (short of lots and lots of shielding which means more weight which means more fuel..)
but that's not gonna fucking happen either.
Don't be so pessimistic! If you save your allowance, get a part-time job and cut back on buying snack foods, it could happen sooner than you think.
... and then they built the supercollider.