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N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers

nytimes.com

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Re: N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers

#11

Post by privong »

ProAm wrote: post #8
todayiamme wrote: post #5

I do understand that it is now the status quo to disavow everything the NSA is, but foreign intelligence gathering is their mission and releasing these details simply doesn't help the cause of fixing the NSA's less savoury incursions. While arguably any foreign intelligence agency of note isn't going to be caught off guard by these leaks, leaking these details does offer political ammunition to the very people who st…

This is what happens when you screw up at the magnitude the NSA has, EVERYTHING will be released and scrutinized for the foreseeable future. Right or wrong they made the bed they now have to sleep in.

Plus, the assumption that they're only using their surveillance technologies against foreign powers is now known to (often) be a false assumption. So it's not immediately clear which systems are only being used against foreign powers, so one wouldn't even know what might be held back (if one were to take the position that things only affecting espionage against other nations should be kept quiet).

Re: N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers

#13

Post by __pThrow »

I have to admit I was disappointed these seem to require radio transmitters be added to the device. Was sort of hoping to discover there were little antennas built into Intel processors or nvidia video cards.

However, I now know more about what DARPA's littlest flying robots will be doing, especially the ones already described as little more than chips with wings.

Re: N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers

#14

Post by bigiain »

vxxzy wrote: post #6

Transmit as far as "EIGHT Miles". Does anyone know what type of power this would take? I imagine if they used a less noisy frequency combined with sensitive receiving equipment, it would not take much. I used to play with CB radios which has a cap at 4W, with a good antenna, one could transmit 7+ miles in good situations.

It's a pretty much meaningless number without also talking about the antenna used both at the transmit and receive end. Carefully aimed high gain antennas can easily get that sort of range with power in the tens of milliwatt range. I've seen 100mW hobby-grade FPV gear doing 5+km with an omni directional antenna on the transmitter and only a high gain directional antenna at the receive end. With sophisticated enough gear at the recieve end, and an intentionally-aimed high-gain antenna at the transmitter, I'd bet getting 8 miles on single-digit mW of transmit power would be do-able.

(Note that 4Watts of 27Meg CB radio is well known for getting ionospheric "skip" and connecting over literally thousands of miles given the right conditions.)

Re: N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers

#15

Post by vonnik »

The only thing that's more disappointing than the NSA spying is the NYT sitting on this scoop for more than a year, and letting Der Spiegel break it. Only slightly less amazing is that Der Spiegel and Jacob Applebaum were talking about this more than two weeks ago, and the NYT diddled until now. Incredible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vILAlhwUgIU

Re: N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers

#17

Post by eru »

todayiamme wrote: post #5

I do understand that it is now the status quo to disavow everything the NSA is, but foreign intelligence gathering is their mission and releasing these details simply doesn't help the cause of fixing the NSA's less savoury incursions. While arguably any foreign intelligence agency of note isn't going to be caught off guard by these leaks, leaking these details does offer political ammunition to the very people who st…

What if the foreignerns don't want to spied up on? Or do they count for less?

Re: N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers

#18

Post by unclebucknasty »

todayiamme wrote: post #5

I do understand that it is now the status quo to disavow everything the NSA is, but foreign intelligence gathering is their mission and releasing these details simply doesn't help the cause of fixing the NSA's less savoury incursions. While arguably any foreign intelligence agency of note isn't going to be caught off guard by these leaks, leaking these details does offer political ammunition to the very people who st…

That's an odd argument and seems completely circular.

You effectively state that the leaks aren't such a good thing ipso facto, then you go on to say that leaking these details proves it; thus they shouldn't be leaked. Kind of hard to find where that argument begins and ends.

I know where your thinking is going, but you would first have to establish the NSA's trustworthiness to get there. That is exactly what is in question and, importantly, for legitimate reasons.

Re: N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers

#19

Post by melling »

eru wrote: post #17
todayiamme wrote: post #5

I do understand that it is now the status quo to disavow everything the NSA is, but foreign intelligence gathering is their mission and releasing these details simply doesn't help the cause of fixing the NSA's less savoury incursions. While arguably any foreign intelligence agency of note isn't going to be caught off guard by these leaks, leaking these details does offer political ammunition to the very people who st…

What if the foreignerns don't want to spied up on? Or do they count for less?

Nobody wants to be spied on. You wouldn't need spying if everyone just volunteered all their desired information.

Re: N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers

#20

Post by conductor »

staunch wrote: post #2

This sounds like a non-issue to me. Any person on this site could create little USB devices for stealing data. It's nothing special or new. I thought I was going to hear that they're light years beyond Tempest[1] or something. Feels good to finally hear an NSA story that doesn't depress me. 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_(codename)

It can be inserted by a manufacturer, as mentioned in the article.

A little chip (inside the motherboard/CPU/hard disk/graphic card) with a radio module that can receive radio signals and write the received data directly into hard disk and/or RAM or read bytes from the hard disk and/or RAM and/or graphic card and transmit it back.

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