Within the framework of the Austrian national security research program KIRAS, funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (bmvit), the study SEMB (Security against electromagnetic threats of critical infrastructures) on electromagnetic threats was conducted in line with the Austrian Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection APCIP to protect national critical infrastructures. The focus of the study was set on threats of electronic and electric components.
The study demonstrated that the use of electromagnetic sources for criminal or terroristic purposes increased steadily in recent years. Up to the 90’s IEMI (intended Electromagnetic Interference) sources were mainly applicated in the military domain, but since then IEMI attacks can be increasingly observed in the civil domain, too. Examples are attacks against ICT- and alarming systems, for instance use of jammers to de-activate alarming systems of cars but also shops such as jewelry stores were several times reported. Moreover, large scale attacks on telephone networks and TV transmitters with up to several 100.000 affected persons are documented. In the military domain airplane and helicopter crashes are recorded, the most tragic event is an accident on an aircraft carrier with more than 100 human losses.
Taken together SEMB demonstrated that electromagnetic threats are real and occur in practice. Depending on the type of electromagnetic weapon applied, destruction of electronic equipment was observed at distances up to 500 m from the source, disturbances of electronic equipment was identified at distances above 10 km from the source. The relative low number of reported cases is likely to be caused by the classification of the majority of attacks. It can be recommended that providers of critical infrastructures take also this type threat into account while designing their protective measures.
Project leader
Dr. Georg Neubauer
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
Informations Management & eHealth
Safety & Security Department
Telefon: +43 50550 2807
Fax: +43 50550 2813
Sekretariat: +43 50550 2882
E-Mail: georg.neubauer@ait.ac.at
2444 Seibersdorf
Other Project or Cooperation partner
· BUNDESMINISTERIUM FÜR INNERES
Sektion I, Büro für Sicherheitspolitik
Minoritenplatz 9
1014 Wien, Österreich
http://www.bmi.gv.at
Leiter: MMag. Harald Felgenhauer
· BUNDESMINISTERIUM FÜR INNERES
Kriminalprävention und Opferhilfe
Schlickplatz 6
1090 Wien, Österreich
http://www.bmi.gv.at
Leiter des Büros: Ing. Mag. Herwig Lenz
· BUNDESMINISTERIUM FÜR Landesverteidigung und Sport
Abteilung Wissenschaft, Forschung und Entwicklung
Roßauer Lände 1
1090 Wien, Österreich
http://www.bmlvs.gv.at
Leiter: Bgdr Mag. Klemens Hofmeister
· Seibersdorf Labor GmbH
Geschäftsfeld EMC & Optics
2444 Seibersdorf
www.seibersdorf-laboratories.at
Contact
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
Safety & Security Department
2444 Seibersdorf
T: +43 505 50 - 2860
http://www.ait.ac.at
