TEMPEST AND ECHELON

Abstract

TEMPEST is a codename referring to investigations and studies of conducted emission (CE). Compromising emanations are defined as unintentional intelligence-bearing signals which, if intercepted and analyzed, may disclose the information transmitted, received, handled, or otherwise processed by any information-processing equipment. TEMPEST is a code word that relates to specific standards used to reduce electromagnetic emanations. In the civilian world, you'll often hear about TEMPEST devices (a receiver and antenna used to monitor emanations) or TEMPEST attacks (using an emanation monitor to eavesdrop on someone). While not quite to government naming specs, the concept is still the same. Echelon is the technology for sniffing through the messages sent over a network or any transmission media, even it is wireless messages. Tempest is the technology for intercepting the electromagnetic waves over the air. It simply sniffs through the electromagnetic waves propagated from any device, even it is from the monitor of a computer screen. Tempest can capture the signals through the walls of computer screens and keystrokes of keyboard even if the computer is not connected to a network. Thus the traditional way of hacking has a little advantage in spying.