RE: E-BOMB

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: William T. Barrett <wtb () uhaul com>

Storing the data on optical media and having protected backup parts
are both good ways to het the system back up but what's going to power
it?  A Electro-magnetic transient with enough power to do the level of
damage discussed here will most likely have serious effects on the
local power grid.  At least in the area surrounding the blast.  And
forget about traditional power loss backups like UPSs, generators, and
batteries.  They will be hosed as well.  So unless you plan on hand
cranking it you're still screwed.  Good idea otherwise though.

-WTB


> -----Original Message-----
> From: isn () c4i org [mailto:isn () c4i org]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2001 1:49 AM
> To: isn () attrition org
> Subject: Re: [ISN] E-BOMB
> Importance: Low
>
>
> Forwarded from: Russell Coker <russell () coker com au>
>
> On Fri, 21 Sep 2001 09:39, you wrote:
> > http://popularmechanics.com/science/military/2001/9/e-bomb/print.phtml
> >
> > BY JIM WILSON
> > September 2001
> >
> > In the blink of an eye, electromagnetic bombs could throw
> > civilization back 200 years. And terrorists can build them for
> > $400.
>
> This is a very interesting article, but it fails to mention one
> crucial point.  What is the effect of an EMP weapon on magnetic
> storage?
>
> It would not be difficult to have some Faraday cages filled with spare
> circuit boards ready for an EMP attack.  Then even if high power
> surges took out shielded computers the damaged parts could be quickly
> replaced.  As long as the data isn't lost it's not that much of a
> problem.
>
> Even the electronics in hard drives can be replaced, and I'm sure it
> wouldn't be difficult to manufacture hard drives with all the
> electronics on a module for fast replacement.
>
> But if the EMP will wipe the platters of the hard drives then the
> problem is much worse.  Then of course there's the issue of how well
> magnetic tape stands up to such treatment (should be much more
> reliable than hard drives due to lack of electronics in the media
> package, and the fact that the media is tightly wound so only a small
> section should be at great risk).  If you lose your computers and hard
> drives but have a good working recent backup then you still aren't
> doing so badly.
>
> If EMP pulses can easily wipe out magnetic tape then possibly other
> backup media should be investigated.  I imagine that a CD-RW would not
> be at risk as the phase-change chemicals would be unlikely to be
> easily corrupted, is that a good assumption?
>
> Russell Coker



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