Keeping computer and technology news simple.

July 30, 2008

Cold war era hack

IBM SELECTRIC TYPEWRITER... Because the Selectric coupled a motor to a mechanical assembly, pressing different keys caused the motor to draw different amounts of current specific to each key. By closely measuring the current used by the typewriter, it was possible to determine what was being typed on the machine. To prevent such measurements, State Department Selectric typewriters were equipped with parts that masked the messages being typed.


View slideshow

Credits.

Previous entries: