Russian Researchers Develop a System to Study Data Leaks Through Electromagnetic Radiation
Researchers at the Sarov Institute of Physics and Technology have developed a new hardware and software system that can run experiments fully automatically.
Modern computer security involves more than protecting networks, user accounts and software. Data can leak through a wide range of channels, and security professionals must examine many possible scenarios to anticipate how attackers might exploit them.
Four Key Modules Form the Core of the System
Researchers at the Sarov Institute of Physics and Technology, a branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, have developed a unique hardware and software system for investigating potential information leaks through unintended electromagnetic emissions from computer equipment. The system can automatically receive, transmit and reconstruct data from electromagnetic signals generated when a computer's graphics subsystem is operating.
This phenomenon is known as Soft-TEMPEST. As computer components operate, they produce unintended electromagnetic emissions. Under certain conditions, an attacker can intercept these signals and reconstruct them to recover information processed inside a computer. In theory, this type of attack can work even when the device has no network connection.
The new system consists of four main modules. The first encodes the characters entered by a user. The second converts the data into control signals for the monitor. The third captures and analyzes electromagnetic emissions, while the fourth reconstructs the original sequence of characters.
Two Ways to Transmit Data
The researchers implemented two different data transmission methods. In the first, information is encoded through changes in the color and display duration of images on the screen. The second method uses the monitor's power-supply cycle. The receiver can work with an external spectrum analyzer and display the results as graphs and spectrograms.
All four modules are integrated into a single graphical interface. The software provides a set of tools for configuring experimental parameters, monitoring signals in real time and saving measurement results. It was developed in Python 3, making it cross-platform and accessible to a broad range of users.
The system's distinguishing feature is its ability to run experiments fully automatically, without requiring researchers to configure each parameter manually. Previously, their work focused only on aspects related to data transmission. The team plans to use the system to assess the risk of data leaks through electromagnetic channels, investigate methods for protecting computer equipment and train information security professionals.
Different Aspects of the Problem
Researchers in Russia have been studying electromagnetic data-leakage channels for several years. In 2022, for example, researchers at the A. F. Mozhaisky Military Space Academy published a study on protecting video systems that use the DVI interface. They examined how the characteristics of electromagnetic emissions depend on the colors displayed in an image. The researchers proposed a software-based method for selecting color combinations that reduce the amount of information carried by unintended signals while keeping images clear enough for users to view comfortably.
In 2024, researchers at MEPhI presented a method for processing unintended electromagnetic emissions from video displays. They studied the characteristics of digital interfaces, including HDMI, and proposed using a convolutional neural network to improve the quality of reconstructed images.
In March 2025, Russian researchers Konstantin Gladyshev and Maksim Pozhidaev published a study of electromagnetic emissions from wired VGA, DVI and HDMI interfaces. They examined how emission characteristics vary with screen resolution, refresh rate and connection type.
The Sarov Institute's system marks an important step in research into unintended physical channels through which data can leak, building on work conducted over the past several years. The hardware and software platform could serve both as a foundation for training highly skilled specialists and as a basis for developing tools to counter malicious actors.
