Protection of automated workstations against information leakage through compromising electromagnetic emissions and conducted signals: contradictions and modern approaches

Protection of automated workstations against information leakage through compromising electromagnetic emissions and conducted signals: contradictions and modern approaches

Authors

  • Olexandr Kovalko Central Scientific Research Institute of Armament and Military Equipment of Armed Forces of Ukraine
  • Oleg Kostyna Central Scientific Research Institute of Armament and Military Equipment of Armed Forces of Ukraine
  • Liudmyla Onykiienko Central Scientific Research Institute of Armament and Military Equipment of Armed Forces of Ukraine
  • Serhii Stupak Military unit

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34169/2414-0651.2025.4(48).81-89

Keywords:

information security, compromising electromagnetic emissions (CEME), TEMPEST, unintentional emissions, information leakage channels, security profile, differentiated protection, information protection standards

Abstract

The article addresses the challenges of protecting automated workstations (AWS) against information leakage through compromising electromagnetic emissions (CEME). A comparative review of key international standards in this field (United States, Germany, russia, China) is presented. Particular attention is paid to a fundamental contradiction: despite significant state expenditures on the protection of AWS from information leakage via CEME channels, there is no publicly available data on modern technical intelligence systems exploiting CEME channels, nor confirmed experiments on intercepting information through this channel at distances greater than ten meters. The physical principles of electromagnetic wave propagation and the factors limiting the interception range of information signals are examined. Current research on near-field CEME registration, patents and the market for secure AWS are analyzed. The necessity of Ukraine’s transition from the paradigm of total protection to a differentiated, risk-oriented approach based on security profiles is substantiated, especially under wartime conditions. Priority directions of work in this area are proposed, which, if successfully implemented, will minimize state expenditures and provide optimal solutions for organizing the protection of AWS.

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Author Biography

Oleg Kostyna, Central Scientific Research Institute of Armament and Military Equipment of Armed Forces of Ukraine

Candidate of Military Sciences, Associate Professor

References

National Security Telecommunications and Information Systems Security Advisory Memorandum (NSTISSAM) TEMPEST/1-92. Website: https://fas.org/irp/nsa/rainbow/nstissam_1-92.htm.

Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI). Zonen-Modell. Website: https://www.bsi.bund.de/DE/Themen/Oeffentliche-Verwaltung/VS-Informationen-und-Geheimschutz/Abstrahlsicherheit-TEMPEST/Zonen-Modell/zonen-modell_node.html.

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Genkin, D., Shamir, A., & Tromer, E. (2014). RSA Key Extraction via Low-Bandwidth Acoustic Cryptanalysis. In Advances in Cryptology – CRYPTO 2014. Website: https://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/acoustic/. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44371-2_25

Website: https://youtu.be/Z_VmQXZP9Vw?feature=shared.

Website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjqpKtGNbQo&t=365s.

Published

2025-12-31

How to Cite

Kovalko, O., Kostyna, O., Onykiienko, L., & Stupak, S. (2025). Protection of automated workstations against information leakage through compromising electromagnetic emissions and conducted signals: contradictions and modern approaches. Weapons and Military Equipment, 48(4), 81–89. https://doi.org/10.34169/2414-0651.2025.4(48).81-89
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