RÖS and TEMPEST stand for revealing signals. RÖS is a Swedish term and TEMPEST is an international term.
Revealing signals occur when information is transmitted unintentionally, as all electronic equipment generates electromagnetic radiation that can be intercepted and read.
Revealing signals refer to signals, electromagnetic, acoustic and/or optical signals, that leave a device/system unintentionally and that are possible to detect and analyze to obtain classified information that is handled in the device/system.
Historically, RÖS/TEMPEST protection has been primarily used in the defense-related industry, but there are also many civilian activities that need to take measures to protect themselves against RÖS (Industrial Espionage, etc.).
COMPARISON
It is not possible to directly equate the Swedish RÖS requirements with the international TEMPEST requirements. They largely have the same purpose but deal with the problem of revealing signals in different ways. In some cases, the RÖS requirements can be met with TEMPEST equipment. The word TEMPEST means nothing in itself, but is a remnant from the time when revealing signals was a relatively new area and was codenamed TEMPEST.
CHALLENGES WITH THE TEMPEST FRAMEWORK
There are also some challenges with the TEMPEST framework:
In our national regulations there are three so-called equipment classes; U1, U2 and U3 which indicate how far a piece of equipment radiates. Correspondingly, TEMPEST-measured equipment is divided into classes; A, B and C.
• The classes that radiate the least, U1 and A, differ relatively much in terms of radiated distance, with U1 having the shorter distance. This means that signal protection systems intended for SG S or higher, as well as certain class A equipment placed in particularly exposed locations, must be given supplementary protection to correspond to today's U1 equipment.
• Requirements for installation to be carried out in accordance with the regulations initially entail an increased cost as corresponding requirements do not exist in our current regulations, however, it is estimated that IT equipment will be sold at a faster rate than buildings, premises, combat vehicles, ships, aircraft, etc.
• For example, it is easy to believe that crypto and IT systems that have the highest degree of protection against revealing signals (U1), in the national regulations, can be placed arbitrarily, but this is an incorrect assessment as even this type of system must have a certain separation from open systems and radio transmitters, among other things.
BENEFITS WITH THE TEMPEST FRAMEWORK
• TEMPEST means that you get a faster handling process when choosing IT equipment as you can start from common COTS products.
• Greater access to the market's products and solutions (simply put: "everything that runs on electricity")
• Better pricing
• TEMPEST is an international standard, unlike the national standard RÖS, which is important for exports and international collaborations.
• In the coming years, Swedish military units will increasingly cooperate with the armed forces of other nations. This means that Swedish systems must meet both Swedish and international requirements. This requires an increasing awareness of revealing signals, especially requirements according to TEMPEST standards.
