Compromising Radiated Emission from a Power Line Communication Cable

• Published in: Journal of Communications Software and Systems Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 16 - 21
• Main Authors: Degardin, Virginie, Laly, Pierre, Lienard, Martine, Degauque, Pierre
• Format: Journal Article Paper
• Language: English
• Published: Croatian Communications and Information Society 2011; Udruga za komunikacijske i informacijske tehnologije, Fakultet elektrotehnike, strojarstva i brodogradnje, Sveučilište u Splitu; Croatian Communications and Information Society (CCIS)
• Subjects: Interference; Power line communication; TEMPEST; Transmission line
• ISSN: 1845-6421; 1846-6079; 1845-6421
• DOI: 10.24138/jcomss.v7i1.183

This contribution presents a preliminary investigation on the possibility of eavesdropping, i.e., of extracting information by exploiting the electromagnetic field radiated in the vicinity of a power line communication (PLC) network. This kind of problem is usually known in the electromagnetic compatibility area under the codename TEMPEST. Electromagnetic field measurements were carried out in a laboratory environment, both inside and outside a building, and the main statistical characteristics of the compromising channel are presented. A software tool simulating a PLC communication has been developed and used to draw apreliminary conclusion on whether the radiated emissions can be exploited or not.