Why "carnivore" type systems can't be (entirely) open source

[Q G Campbell]

I rather had in mind something thick and woollen to muffle audio pickup
rather than suppress RF.

If there is a risk that a mobile has been remotely configured to act as
a roving bug then a more effective approach might be to sell cases for
mobiles that incorporate a noise source located next to the microphone.
[The same approach used by the RAF's 100 Group counter-measures aircraft
- was it called Mandril or Airborne Cigar?]=20
  =20
The case could also incorporate a simple RF sniffer; this might not need
much more than a diode and an LED. When in the car we place our mobile
on
a shelf under the radio. I can tell from the car radio when we are being
called before the phone indicates this!

Quentin
--
PHONE: +44 191 222 8209    Computing Service, University of Newcastle
FAX:   +44 191 222 8765    Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, NE1 7RU.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Any opinions expressed above are mine. The University can get its own."
    =20

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Owen Lewis [mailto:oml@eloka.demon.co.uk]
> Sent: 09 February 2001 10:23
> To: ukcrypto@chiark.greenend.org.uk
> Subject: Re: Why "carnivore" type systems can't be (entirely) open
> source
>=20
>=20
>=20
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Q G Campbell" <Q.G.Campbell@newcastle.ac.uk>
> To: <ukcrypto@chiark.greenend.org.uk>
> Sent: 09 February 2001 08:27
> Subject: RE: Why "carnivore" type systems can't be (entirely)=20
> open source
>=20
>=20
> If the new handsets are never off then this should create a=20
> good market
> for
> thick, size XXL, willie warmers that criminals (:-}) can place over
> their
> mobiles to prevent eavesdropping by the Watchers.
>=20
> Nice thought but won't work, I'm sorry to say.
>=20
> Rubber is no barrier to electromagnetic radiation. So Brian=20
> was right after
> all; trying to secure your handset by obscuring it with a=20
> condom will only
> leave you with a false sense of security :-)
>=20
> Many years ago and in another life, I had responsibility for the field
> operation of a microwave system. We found that rain or even dew on the
> transmit antennas reduced the emitted power sufficiently to prevent
> communication over the extreme paths we used to attempt. We=20
> overcame this
> problem by tieing condoms over the dipole and reflector at=20
> the focus of the
> transmit dish.
>=20
> Owen
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20