From: tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 95 11:17:31 PST
To: joelm@eskimo.com (Joel McNamara)
Subject: Re: TEMPEST
In-Reply-To: <199501181520.AB24570@mail.eskimo.com>
Message-ID: <199501181916.LAA09619@netcom12.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Joel McNamara wrote:

> The Cyphernomicon talks about a proposed, early Cypherpunk project that
> dealt with TEMPEST/VanEck monitoring.  Did anyone carry this out beyond the
> idea stage?  All I ever seem to see is "theory" and "hear-say" on this topic
> (and the original VanEck article appears dated and incomplete).

We all need to remember that projects are not "proposed" and then
"assigned." That is, projects only get done when someone decides to
personally champion that project.

I'm sure this is obvious, but maybe not.

The TEMPEST thread comes up now and then, but nobody (at least to my
knowledge) has gotten interested enough to pursue it. Before anyone
ever asks why _others_ are not doing work in this area, they should
look to themselves. (Not meant to be a critical remark directed at
Joel, just a general comment that the only things that get done are
the things that get done.)

> I noticed the Consumertronics (John Williams in Alamogordo, New Mexico)
> catalog has an assembled device that will work with EGA to SVGA monitors.
> $3,995 seems a bit pricey though (or is it).  Has anyone had dealings with
> Consumertronics in the past?

TEMPEST has very little to do with Cypherpunks goals, actually. First,
buying such a gadget, tweaking it, exploring capabilities, etc., would
lead to what? The ability to park a van in front of someone's house
and--maybe--monitor their screens? We already know this is possible.
(You all knew that, didn't you?)

I'm not saying it wouldn't be useful to have someone on our list who
has a lot of experience in this area, but mainly just for the
"background" it would provide.

--Tim May


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