Interesting video but not all such equipment is so simple.
To detect an RF or Mains carrier device used to be a case of just detecting the RF energy. For the attacker it is hard to beat basic physics and a wide band RF detector worked reasonably well. The simple detectors like the one featured do not cope with today's RF rich environment and are considered pretty much obsolete by serious players in the business.
The world of TSCM outside Government agencies has always been awash with all manner of detection equipment. Some actually tries to do a decent job, whilst others kit is basically junk with lots of flashy lights etc to make it look impressive to the client. The commercial TSCM industry has been full of cowboys for many years. In the UK there is an accreditation process to sort the men from the boys when it comes to TSCM work.
More sophisticated broadband RF and mains carrier detectors, that were produced in the same decade as the featured model are the Autolock, Scanlock and Ranger units. Audiotel (Security Research) were a manufacturer of such equipment 'back in the day' . They tried to make TSCM equipment that actually did a good job. The Autolock and later Scanlock series use a standard swept tuning Superheterodyne receiver with a front end that covers up to 2GHz or 3GHz in later models. The 'clever' bit was the speed of scanning. The full 2 GHz Spectrum in around 1 second. A normal synthesised local oscillator could not achieve this at the time so they used a Harmonic Comb output local oscillator that swept over just 24MHz and produced all the required harmonics that were in turn swept at the fundamental rate.
A Harmonic comb oscillator is a terrible idea for a decent radio receiver, but an excellent idea if wanting to sample a large frequency range for RF in a very short period of time. The Scanlock could do a similar low frequency scan of the utility mains and included a double modulation demodulator for the more sneaky devices of the era. The Scanlock also provided normal AM and FM detection and demodulation. A tone mode was included that emitted a loud tone from the units speaker and then scanned the spectrum looking to find a signal that carried the same tone in its modulation. An audio feedback mode also provided the ability to detect an acoustic feedback path from the Transmitter MIC to the Scanlock where it was demodulated and sent to the speaker to cause an intermittent tone Both such techniques are highly alerting to the listening post and so bad trade craft. Remote controlled eavesdropping devices demand very careful TSCM survey tradecraft so as to be as non alerting as possible.
The Scanlock worked well for what it was designed for and the era of transmitter technology that it was used against. You still had to sweep the antenna over all surfaces as you took advantage of RF near field characteristics of the transmission. The unit was sensitive enough to receive normal radio stations as well though.
Well this was a trip down memory lane. The detailed detection equipment is all very outdated now.
Effective TSCM surveys are as much about the knowledge and training of the practitioner as the detection equipment used. A good TSCM practitioner knows that controlled spaces are a key countermeasure and the MK1 eyeball combined with an inquisitive and knowledgeable mind can be a most effective weapon against many eavesdropping techniques. Only the cowboys believe you need all the electronic test equipment you can afford with its associated lights and buzzers...... they are in the game of extracting as much money as possible from clients using scare mongering tactics, and trying to justify the high costs with flashy equipment that in many cases is pretty ineffective, or in some cases totally ineffective due to operator incompetence
There is big money to be made in the professional world of TSCM so it is no surprise that Cowboys are a plenty offering such services.
In case anyone misunderstands me. Yes professional TSCM practitioners do use sophisticated TSCM equipment that actuallly works and they use it with the knowledge required for success. A TSCM practitioner must have knowledge of many attack vectors these days including IT and various communications equipment.
Technology is not always the best tool.
The very best intelligence gathering method in many cases is a disenchanted employee or an employee with a moral aversion to an organisations activities. Eavesdropping systems, whilst they have their place, cannot be targeted as well as an employee.
Snowden ...... hero with a conscience, or naive attention seeking traitor to his country ? Hmmm now there is a question.
Fraser
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