[rescue] OT: Network Blinkenlights

[Isaac]

I agree that the arbitrary, constant rate flashing of activity lights is
annoying. However, there's a reasonable argument to be made that
flash-once-per-frame behavior leaks too much information about network
traffic to potential attackers capable of observing and analyzing
network activity based on blinkenlights.

Consider this paper, "Information Leakage from Optical Emanantions":
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=545186.545189

I'd classify the security threat as low, but then it depends on your
environment.

-Isaac


On Mon, 7 Mar 2005, Shirker wrote:

> Has anyone else noticed that there's been a disturbing trend recently in
> the way the activity LEDs on network equipment work?