Device and method for preventing wiretapping through power supply lines

#The present application is a National Phase of International Application Number PCT/IL2009/001221, filed Dec. 28, 2009.

#The present invention relates to the field of securing electronic equipment against eavesdropping through power supply lines.

#Rapid industrial development during last decades has enormously increased the numbers of electronic equipment such as computation & communication devices, machinery, storage and archiving facilities, employed by governmental authorities, national security entities, industrial and commercial organizations, small businesses, and individuals. The amounts of sensitive, confidential or classified information processed and stored on electronic devices have increased accordingly.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a conceptual circuit of an anti-wiretapping device according to the invention in a first switching state.

#FIG. 2 illustrates the conceptual circuit illustrated by FIG. 1 in a second switching state.

#FIG. 3 illustrates the conceptual circuit of FIG. 1 with some supportive circuitry according to a basic preferred embodiment.

#FIGS. 1 & 2 illustrate a conceptual circuit of an anti-wiretapping device according to the invention in a first switching state. It should be appreciated that the device of FIGS. 1 & 2 may similarly be used for protecting electronic equipment from power disturbances and from electronic noise which may occur on power supply lines, as well as for preventing electronic noise generated by the electronic equipment from reaching the power supply lines. The description should therefore be mutatis mutandis interpreted as relating to such use.

#The invention relates to a device useful for (i) anti-wiretapping, for (ii) preventing electronic noise generated by the electronic equipment from reaching the power supply lines and for (iii) protecting electronic equipment from power disturbances and from electronic noise which may occur on power supply lines; comprising a power input (1) to be connected (preferably through a charging converter and/or additional supportive circuitry) to a power supply line, a power output (2) for energizing electronic equipment (in the context of this specification referred to also as “load”) intended either for anti wiretapping protection or for anti power disturbances or electronic noise protection, at least two dischargeable power storage units (C1) and (C2), and a control unit (3) for selectively connecting the power storage units, in this embodiment capacitors (C1) and (C2), to the power input (1) and to the power output (2) by means of switching units (3a) and (3b) controlled by the control unit (3), such that whenever one of the power storage units (C1) and (C2) is connected to the power output (2) it is switched off from the power input (1), and wherein at least one power storage unit (C1) or (C2) is connected to the power input (1) during a connection of another power storage unit (C2) or (C1) to the power output (2), respectively.

#The electronic equipment (4) is thereby not being powered directly from the power line, thus substantially neutralizing the power supply line from signals which may be correlated with power consumption signals of confidential information, as well as from electronic noise which may be generated by the electronic equipment while also substantially neutralizing the electronic equipment (4) from power disturbances and from electronic noise which may occur on the power supply line.