From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Sat, 24 May 1997 13:30:04 +0800
To: cypherpunks@algebra.com
Subject: Re: carbon fibers (fwd)
In-Reply-To: <199705240207.VAA22060@einstein.ssz.com>
Message-ID: <v03102803afac276485ce@[207.167.93.63]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 10:50 PM -0500 5/23/97, William H. Geiger III wrote:

>In reading the complaint Jim was using a copper coated carbon fiber mesh
>that was then to be processed (probably cut up and ground) into a fine
>pouder so it could be delivered airborn. I think that the critical
>ingrediant was the copper coating and not the carbon itself though it
>should have an additive affect for the reasons mentioned above.

???

Why make things so complicated? As I have been reading the articles and
complaints, it seeemed fairly clear that what was being talked about were
conductive fibers (I read the complaint as saying "nickel-coated," not
"copper-coated," but this is a minor point). Think: fibers like fiberglass
batting, except conductive rather than insulating.

(This is some of what the EE used on the Iraqi defense stations to disable
them.)

The whole idea of them being airborne suggests small fibers. Not powder, as
I visualize the plan.

Having said this, a lame idea. Maybe a single computer system would go
offline for some period...such outages happen all time anyway. Between
backups in other offices, in other buildings, etc., no lasting effect.

Further, I'm willing to bet the ventilation ducts do not enter directly
into "the computers." Between ordinary PCs and workstations, and even
VAXes, nearly all of them draw their cooling air from ordinary room air.

(My lab up near Portland,  coincidentally, had one of the first VAX
11/780s, surely larger (though not faster) than any 9-1-1 system now likely
to be installed...and it drew its cooling air from the surrounding room.)

The point being that airborne fibers would have a tortuous path to follow
from a rooftop duct down past the various filters (often HEPA) to get to
the inside computer rooms, and then past the foam filters typcally near the
box fans on PCs (or probably somewhat better filters on Suns and
workstations and Unisi.

In other words, pie in the sky for actually knocking out any service for a
significant amount of time and with any significant chance of success.

(I wouldn't be surprised if Jim didn't do some experiments on real
systems...that's what I'd do. Got to characterize the process before even
considering actual use. And if done properly, one might even be paid as a
consultant for doing such studies. Doesn't make one a criminal for buying
the raw materials, nor even for joking about it...especially given the
implausiblity of it actually working. Just idle speculation.)

--Tim May

There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
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