Re: Internet Via Electric Lines? (fwd)

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- In <199710081234.HAA11747@einstein.ssz.com>, on 10/08/97 at 07, Jim Choate said:

Forwarded message:

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From: "William H. Geiger III" Date: Wed, 08 Oct 97 01:28:42 -0500 Subject: Re: Internet Via Electric Lines?

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This is nothing new.

At least late 70's.

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I think it was GE that several years ago created phone extensions that you plugged into your power outlets, no need to run wire to put in an extra outlet. I believe that X-10 uses this same principle for computer control of household appliances.

Not to mention data leakage through power lines is an issue long reconized by the TEMPEST crowd.

The trick here seems to be in routing the data. How do you get data on the power grid routed to the location that you want it to go??

The trick with X-10 is to stay away from transformers as the signal won't go through them effectively. This ends any dreams of sending data to your neighbor, the signal won't go through your power meter.

This seems to be a Goodthing(TM) for residential X-10 as it would seem to take care of a lot of security issues by effectively isolating each home from others who may be running the same system. Has anyone researched the security issues around X-10? Is the Transformer isolation good enough protection from a dedicated attack (as opposed to accidental signal leakage)? Are their alternative routes for transmitting the FM signal (Airwaves) that the X-10 devices would pick up?? Do any of the current X-10 devices use signal authentication/verification? - -- - --------------------------------------------------------------- William H. Geiger III http://www.amaranth.com/~whgiii Geiger Consulting Cooking With Warp 4.0 Author of E-Secure - PGP Front End for MR/2 Ice PGP & MR/2 the only way for secure e-mail. OS/2 PGP 2.6.3a at: http://www.amaranth.com/~whgiii/pgpmr2.html - --------------------------------------------------------------- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.3a Charset: cp850 Comment: Registered_User_E-Secure_v1.1b1_ES000000 iQCVAwUBNDumpo9Co1n+aLhhAQGZBAQAo9u4WuKIJ7WfDxaK83X/lwsLpzVDhx+4 lPAlY8ERqBjQwMc8txV+vW9cLl0rHi0Q8YgW+U9vlqlb67re2sjebFqKbQ1c5heZ WMc+nXNeM5MZ65K/dXKPPGl3RhzMw3syBu37s+KD3v6V2C7XJLudH/AnruYBmXF/ ad0+z1S6q9c= =oxPQ -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----