How Vulnerable Are Computers to an 80-Year-Old Spy Technique? Congress Wants Answers

Senators Ron Wyden and Representative Shontel Brown have asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the vulnerability of modern consumer devices to TEMPEST-style side-channel attacks—unintended electromagnetic, acoustic, or physical emissions that can leak sensitive information—and to evaluate the feasibility and cost of implementing protections or mandating countermeasures by manufacturers. The report summarizes historical government awareness of such emanations, raises concerns about public exposure to these spying techniques, and outlines potential policy options to mitigate the threat.