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"Are You Plugging Into
Trouble?"
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Carrier Current
Eavesdropping Devices
By
Phil Guillen
President, OMEGA, Inc.
E-mail: eric1com@chicagonet.net
P.O. Box
964, Tinley Park, Illinois 60477 Telephone: 708-429-1563
Copyright © 2002 OMEGA, Inc., All Rights
Reserved.
Supplementing our RF advisory series, this article will address the
threats posed via Carrier Current devices – bugging devices designed to
broadcast intercepted room conversations down the AC power lines, instead of
broadcasting their illicit signals into free space. Though quite an old
methodology for the discreet compromise of offices and conference rooms, it is
alive and well today (and has in fact gone through a series of notable
improvements) due to its continued effectiveness. This threat is still
growing.
Carrier Current bugs typically come in one of two configurations: [a] the
prepared electrical outlet, and [b] the "outboardable"
transmitter. Each of the two basic types will be explained below.
[a] The prepared outlet is an electrical outlet which has had a Carrier
Current room transmitter – pre-installed into it. This
permits the rapid and simple replacement of one of the electrical wall outlets
in the targeted office or room, to complete the effective bugging of the desired
area. These outlets DO function properly, as would any other
outlet, and give no clue whatsoever as to their true mission. Also, these
outlets come in any color and design that "normal" outlets are
available in, including extension power strips, multi-taps, and even extension
cord versions. They are quick-to-install, permanent devices.
[b] The "outboardable" type is the actual room transmitter or
bug, which need only to be attached to an AC line at any conveniently available
point. These models do not require the use of an AC wall outlet for
their concealment. Thus, these models can be quite easily secreted into
such typical office peripherals as computers, FAX machines, lighting assemblies,
pencil sharpeners, copiers/printers, desk lamps, clocks, etc. In short,
they can be concealed in any item that is normally plugged into an AC outlet –
or they can simply be concealed behind any electrical outlet, in the outlet's
"gang" box or just behind it.
The advantages to using Carrier Current type bugging devices are
multi-fold. Examples include:
[a] These types of room bugs are designed to be "missed" during
anything less than a legitimate Sweep Survey, as they do NOT radiate their
broadcast signals into free space as would a more conventional room bug.
Instead, their signals use the buildings electrical system as their mode of
transmission. The eavesdropper then need only to plug his/her receiver
into any convenient outlet at some other even distant area of the facility, to
receive the bugs' signals and thus the intercepted room conversations.
[b] This class of bug will operate in areas where RF transmitting types
would have a problem with local signal activity, such as in a large city or
industrial areas where other existing radio signal sources (i.e., two-way
radios, commercial broadcast stations, industrial process radio signals
including control, sensor signals, etc.) may make it difficult to find an
"open" or clear and interference-free transmission frequency for the
bugs' use.
[c] These devices are completely immune to otherwise signal-disabling
or blocking structures such as deep basement locations, heavy concrete, or
metallic enclosures which block radio signals, etc.
[d] These devices permit
more sophisticated modes of subsequent signal transmissions such as attaching a
conventional radio transmitter to the plugged-in AC receiver in a distant area
of the facility where standard RF transmissions can be made -- for greater extended
off site signal reception!
One then can see why this long-favored methodology for room compromises is
still very popular and finds regular use with Pro operatives, and
increasingly, with even today’s amateurs. They’re here to stay!
NOTE:
Our F. G. MASON Spectrum Analyzers DO detect these types of bugs! Our
Clients are protected!
Click here to read Phil Guillen's
and Omega's intro page.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The author can be contacted
as follows:
Phil Guillen
President, Omega, Inc.
eric1com@chicagonet.net
P.O. Box 964
Tinley Park, IL 60477
708-429-1563
