James Bamford in his new book on the NSA, mentions the glazing system on an HQ building which is composed of two layers of glass with wire mesh for TEMPEST shielding but also that music is played within the glass layers to garble vibration emanations. Anyone know of this music system or where more information could be obtained? On related topic, "buckypaper" is claimed to provide up to 10 times more radiation protection than current Air Force requirements: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081017/tec_buckypaper.html Further out, on the varieties of electronic harrassment and attacks: http://www.bugsweeps.com/info/electronic_harassment.html
At 04:54 AM 10/18/2008, John Young wrote:
... also that music is played within the glass layers to garble vibration emanations.
Anyone know of this music system or where more information could be obtained?
During the Clinton Administration is was Fleetwood Mac; these days it's primarily country & western.... More seriously, spooks have done that kind of thing for a long time - voices in a room will shake the windows a bit, and that can theoretically be detected by bouncing microwaves or ultrasonics or whatever off of them (presumably easier to detect with metallic surfaces than glass), and the music drowns that out.
On related topic, "buckypaper" is claimed to provide up to 10 times more radiation protection than current Air Force requirements: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081017/tec_buckypaper.html
Interesting. On the other hand, back when I had experience with TEMPEST rooms in the mid-80s, the leakage difficulties weren't the main walls, but sealing all the joints; a surprisingly small gap is enough to let signals out, and leakage is wavelength-dependent. Back then our computers were Vaxen running at tens of MHz (though we usually tested with higher frequencies) - now the computers are running at tens of GHz, and I'd guess that shielding is a lot harder.
Interesting. Back when I was field-testing MONET, we had some guys from DARPA and from some agency I hadn't heard of before looking over my shoulder. As we passed one of the big DARPA buildings in W. VA (is this the 'real' VA a la MkKane), he started yapping about the windows on that building, but then shut himself up remembering that we were after all civilians, even though we were entering some very secure facilities (eg, one NSA facility). I had guessed that being immune to laser-based eavesdropping would be one characteristic of the glass, but I never knew exactly how (though I would have thought it easier merely to put an vacuum between two sheets of glass as in recording studios). -TD
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 07:54:12 -0400 To: cypherpunks@al-qaeda.net From: jya@pipeline.com Subject: Emanation Shielding with Music
James Bamford in his new book on the NSA, mentions the glazing system on an HQ building which is composed of two layers of glass with wire mesh for TEMPEST shielding but also that music is played within the glass layers to garble vibration emanations.
Anyone know of this music system or where more information could be obtained?
On related topic, "buckypaper" is claimed to provide up to 10 times more radiation protection than current Air Force requirements:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081017/tec_buckypaper.html
Further out, on the varieties of electronic harrassment and attacks:
_________________________________________________________________ Stay organized with simple drag and drop from Windows Live Hotmail. http://windowslive.com/Explore/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_102008
Thanks for the comments here. Two responses received from elsewhere: No. 1 Comments concerning TEMPEST and Laser Mic probes of windows and fenestration. 1. A high security internal and external window install would typically consist of two layers of 0.75 inch glass with a high lead contact. Exterior facing walls may have ballistic glass of varying thickness, again with a high lead layer. 2. Music IS NOT introduced between layers in a high security application. However, WHITE NOISE is introduced; sourced from a very secure high entropy white noise generator whose output is constantly monitored and mathmatically analysed in order to detect any unacceptable departure from the expected levels of entropy. __________ No. 2 US patent 6,285,773 discloses a speaker designed specifically for use in double glazing. Also interesting, five US patents assigned to CPFilms Inc. (7,405,872, 7,295,368, 7,177,075, 6,891,667, and 6,859,310) contain this golden nugget: "A flexible transparent sheet made in accordance with this invention may also be used to minimize acoustic transmissions from a building by carefully applying the film to the window with an adhesive while making certain that no visible air bubbles are formed between the flexible sheet and the glazing of the window. The term "visible air bubbles" used herein means air bubbles which are visible without any magnification (i.e., visible to the naked eye). It has been discovered that when the transparent flexible sheet lies over an air bubble, the flexible sheet behaves like the diaphragm of a loudspeaker. This causes unwanted transmission of sound waves. Avoiding these bubbles minimizes the transmission of the sound waves through the window." __________ We add that the glazing must be acoutically isolated from its frame. Metal frames of windows and doors are very effective transmitters of signal (as well as temperature), either those received from the glass in windows or from spaces directly. Frames need to be acoustically isolated and thermally broken. Wood frames are much better for this purpose. One of the shortcomings of relatively new use of cold-formed metal studs for exterior walls is that they transmit sound and temperature far more than masonry, so much so that green designers recommend that they not be used despite seeming cost savings. Metal studs in gypsum board walls are wonderful transmitters, indeed, the studs and gyp board may act as amplifiers, no matter the STC rating derived from other characteristics. Again, wood studs are preferrable, or the metal studs must be isolated by double layering and gasketing. Wet wood is a transmitter of signal and temperature, dry wood less so. There are synthetics and/or composities which can take the place of wood and metal studs. Not yet cheap enough to be used widely. Now, metal nails, screws, brackets, masonry reinforcement, ties, support angles and whatnot still remain a source of signal. High-strength adhesives and isolation devices improve the resistance to transmittal. The wondrous materials of the stealth machines may come into architecture some day, but not soon. Well, maybe the TLAs are using them in SCIFs, the super-versions. Bamford's latest book is chock full of nightmare technology and programs for invasive methods well beyond most of healthy paranoia about incomsec.
That may answer why they use white noise as the cover: The frame and other components transmit enough vibration as to make a vacuum approach not very effective. I like the bullet proof glass piece. At least these folks are under no illusion as to the value of their services. -TD
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:31:08 -0400 To: cypherpunks@al-qaeda.net From: jya@pipeline.com Subject: RE: Emanation Shielding with Music
Thanks for the comments here. Two responses received from elsewhere:
No. 1
Comments concerning TEMPEST and Laser Mic probes of windows and fenestration.
1. A high security internal and external window install would typically consist of two layers of 0.75 inch glass with a high lead contact. Exterior facing walls may have ballistic glass of varying thickness, again with a high lead layer.
2. Music IS NOT introduced between layers in a high security application. However, WHITE NOISE is introduced; sourced from a very secure high entropy white noise generator whose output is constantly monitored and mathmatically analysed in order to detect any unacceptable departure from the expected levels of entropy.
__________
No. 2
US patent 6,285,773 discloses a speaker designed specifically for use in double glazing.
Also interesting, five US patents assigned to CPFilms Inc. (7,405,872, 7,295,368, 7,177,075, 6,891,667, and 6,859,310) contain this golden nugget:
"A flexible transparent sheet made in accordance with this invention may also be used to minimize acoustic transmissions from a building by carefully applying the film to the window with an adhesive while making certain that no visible air bubbles are formed between the flexible sheet and the glazing of the window. The term "visible air bubbles" used herein means air bubbles which are visible without any magnification (i.e., visible to the naked eye). It has been discovered that when the transparent flexible sheet lies over an air bubble, the flexible sheet behaves like the diaphragm of a loudspeaker. This causes unwanted transmission of sound waves. Avoiding these bubbles minimizes the transmission of the sound waves through the window."
__________
We add that the glazing must be acoutically isolated from its frame. Metal frames of windows and doors are very effective transmitters of signal (as well as temperature), either those received from the glass in windows or from spaces directly. Frames need to be acoustically isolated and thermally broken. Wood frames are much better for this purpose.
One of the shortcomings of relatively new use of cold-formed metal studs for exterior walls is that they transmit sound and temperature far more than masonry, so much so that green designers recommend that they not be used despite seeming cost savings.
Metal studs in gypsum board walls are wonderful transmitters, indeed, the studs and gyp board may act as amplifiers, no matter the STC rating derived from other characteristics. Again, wood studs are preferrable, or the metal studs must be isolated by double layering and gasketing.
Wet wood is a transmitter of signal and temperature, dry wood less so.
There are synthetics and/or composities which can take the place of wood and metal studs. Not yet cheap enough to be used widely.
Now, metal nails, screws, brackets, masonry reinforcement, ties, support angles and whatnot still remain a source of signal. High-strength adhesives and isolation devices improve the resistance to transmittal.
The wondrous materials of the stealth machines may come into architecture some day, but not soon. Well, maybe the TLAs are using them in SCIFs, the super-versions.
Bamford's latest book is chock full of nightmare technology and programs for invasive methods well beyond most of healthy paranoia about incomsec.
_________________________________________________________________ You live life beyond your PC. So now Windows goes beyond your PC. http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/115298556/direct/01/
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