From: John Young <jya@pipeline.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 1998 21:14:19 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: Re: TEMPEST laptops
In-Reply-To: <199810312353.SAA23037@camel7.mindspring.com>
Message-ID: <199811011247.HAA19869@dewdrop2.mindspring.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



The rationale of the FOIA to NSA for TEMPEST docs is that
due to increased public awareness of that technology,
the manufacturers of classified TEMPEST products and 
services are chomping at the bit to sell them to a broader
public market -- as with other dual-use technology like
crypto.

We were asked to make the FOIA by those who've gotten
what they can from the many sources listed at Joel McNamara's
TEMPEST site -- which show that the market is growing but
is still hampered by classified restrictions:

   http://www.eskimo.com/~joelm/tempest.htm

Yes, it's improbably that NSA will release all the docs requested
but perhaps some will be shaken loose, again as with other
once classified technology like crypto. In part because of
rising public awareness, in part because of manufacturers'
desire, in part because NSA will have developed more 
advanced technology.

Tim has heretofore advised on TEMPEST measures and the
latest are useful, and correspond to what's available in the
commercial market and what is available in mil/gov pubs --
many listed at Joel's site.

We are working on our desktop model with a manufacturer
who supplies RF-protected glass for government and industry
rooms as well as for entire buildings. We figure that if we can
make a workable model, we'll be able to use to demonstrate
to our clients why TEMPEST protection is needed and how it
can be accomplished in an elegant design manner, paralleling
demonstrations used by the glass manufacturer to substantiate
claims for his products.

One of the many things that keeps techies from getting the public's
money is being unable to convince the buyer that the invention
is truly desirable. Thus comes the marketer, who has skills of
invention of another sort to charm the skeptical consumer that
this baby has got to be a part of his/her life -- like fancy homes,
medical care, insurance cars, clothing, foods, weapons, bibles, 
and, above all, national security.

So a mongerer's brew is needed to peddle these inessentials,
composed of seriousness, humor, terror, lies and pretended
guilelessness, the practices of anyone doing well or doing badly, 

indeed, humans going about whatever they do to fill up the void.

BTW, the best technology is nearly always going to be classified, 
with sky high prices paid for by gullible citizens to calm their 
manufactured terrors (the religion model, once churches and temples
now weapons and satellites; once the priest/architect hustle, now
that of the the NatSec wonk/scientist), so the commercial market is 
only going to offer less than the best, the declassified waste products, 
while selling it as "The Best."

So we're seeking the crumbs from the NatSec table. And will use
what we get or don't get in our marketing campaign, having learned
the immortally favorite scheme: a mix of fact, fiction and fixation
on getting people to trust the seller, not the always waste promise.

But Tim knows that, practices that like a master, makes bundles.
And I always take him seriously, believe everything he says, and
admire his deadpan sense of humor more than anything else. Been
threatened by him, too, if I don't, all in accord with the NatSec madness
of our era.