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Super Shielded PC Cases

mvw sent us an amusing link for the super paranoid. These cases claim to be all shielded, all filtered, and emit none of the stuff those snoopers like to listen to. Plus it looks like it could be dropped from a low flying jet and keep ticking.

12 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Magpulse... by sjames · · Score: 2

    All of the lines are filtered. If you are using approved cables, they are heavily shielded as well. (If you're not using approved cables, you've defeated the point of the case anyway). Since the point of the setup is not EMP protection, it all really depends on how over-designed it is.

    If it's milspec, I'll give it better than average odds.

  2. LCDs are not TEMPEST safe by whydna · · Score: 2
    I used to work at a company that produced TEMPEST equipment. For a demonstration to some news reporters, they decided to demonstrate what tempest is. They setup a laptop on one end of a large room, and on the other side of the room had an antennae, some nifty equipment, and a CRT. They then proceded to display the LCD's video image on the CRT. I don't think the reporters understood...but none the less, LCDs do emmit readable TEMPEST emmisions.

    Another problem is that the video port emmits TEMPEST, the video cable (even the shielded ones) emmit radiation, and the power outlet that the display is plugged into emmits radiation.

    The only real solution is to purchase certified TEMPEST equipment.

  3. Re:EM not the only way by sjames · · Score: 2

    That is a good way to do it. Syncing with the signal isn't too hard, it's just like the vertical and horizontal hold knobs on an old TV. With a little more sophistication, the horizontal and vertical; blanking can be analyzed for automated synching (but why bother, it's easy enough).

  4. Full of it... by EngrBohn · · Score: 2

    This guy's info is, at best, dated. "Tempest" hasn't been the approved term since 1996 -- "EMSEC" (Emissions Security) is now the official term. And last I checked, the EMSEC instructions don't provide allowances for all this shielding (whether they should is a different discussion) -- the "minimum spacing" requirements to separate classified & unclassified systems (and even classified systems rated for different levels of classification) would still hold.
    Christopher A. Bohn

    --
    cb
    Oooh! What does this button do!?
  5. TEMPEST isn't the only way by substrate · · Score: 2

    There's a book thats basically an historical account of the British intelligence agencies during the World War II era and the autobiography of the author, Peter Wright. It seems to be out of print so I won't post an Amazon URL.

    Anyway, one of their escapades was to insert a pair of microphones either in the room with or directly inside a typewriter keyboard. From the sounds recorded this way they could reproduce what the typist was typing. Sort of a low-tech (high-tech at the time!) implementation of a TEMPTEST-like scheme.

    If you can find it try reading the book. It starts off as a fairly good read and reveals some of the real way espionage agencies can get information. The writing style deteriorates later on (fired the ghost writer or hired a different ghost writer?)

  6. Top X Things A Super Shielded PC Case Doubles As by RimRod · · Score: 2

    Whoa, first one in a while that's made it to X = 10+. Party on, Wayne!

    1) Bomb Shelter

    2) Garbage can for AOL 30 Day Trial CDs.

    3) Office cot.

    4) A nifty hat. Come on, you know you've been tempted!

    5) Really expensive paperweight.

    6) Something else to spill coffee on.

    7) Bulletin board.

    8) Dildo.

    9) Something else to throw out the window and watch go "kerplunk".

    10) A new comfy home for the hamster that runs everything by wheel power.

    11) A superfast, top of the line, totally dedicated working environment for reloading /. every 30 seconds.

    --
    - ...and remember, you can't invade Brainania. It's not on the big map.
  7. Re:Magpulse... by sjames · · Score: 2

    That's a good start. The pairs should also run inside a shield grounded to the case. Not too hard to construct.

  8. Re:So? by dattaway · · Score: 2

    That may cover the net connection, but the monitor has a higher drag coefficient than the boat anchor box. So, you'll need locking connectors. The keyboard is likely to act like a wing and fly in its own direction, requiring it to be bonded to the box. He who has the fastest computer, wins!

  9. Dated Components by jezzball · · Score: 2

    The components are dated and the information is out of spec. I assume the whole thing is a joke - some of the pictures look just like an original PC spraypainted black. Hey! I've got one running still (with an 8088) so you know what? I'm going to paint it black and sell it too!

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  10. Re:News for nerds? by Stephen+Williams · · Score: 2

    No case? The poor thing would be naked! :-)

    My desk is covered in rubbish. My apartment is covered in rubbish. My computer, however, looks immaculate. I couldn't bear to have a messy computer with bits hanging out of it.

  11. Soft Tempest by jim · · Score: 2
    Ross Anderson and friends at Cambridge[1] have been working on TEMPEST protection in software ... the idea is that by using special dither patterns you can get your screen to show one thing but come up with something else on the monitors of the spooks. See Information hiding - the paper (PDF) is quite interesting.

    [1] UK, not Massachusetts, thank you.

    --
    -- Arm yourself when the Frog God smiles.
  12. Yes! It's Black! by Sloppy · · Score: 2

    Metal cases, and they even painted it BLACK! I had to wipe away a tear of joy. Black equipment is always the best. Why do you think people were really interested in the NeXT cube? It wasn't really because of the software; they just pretended to like Nextstep later, after the cubes stopped being made. (Had to rationalize.)

    Oh.. and why do I use a USR Courier instead of a Sportster? Duh. Because it's black, of course. There's nothing more sinister-looking than a dark brooding Courier, with its row of hellish-looking red LEDs flashing.

    Of course, I used to use a black Micropolis drive, but it died, and now I use silver-white Quantum. Oh well, no theory is perfect.

    As for the metal cases.... I don't really care about shielding; I just like heavy metal computers. Yep. Like IBM keyboards ... *drool* .. oh, don't get me started on IBM keyboards.

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