Intelligence-Bearing Emanations

What Does Intelligence-Bearing Emanations Mean?

Intelligence-bearing emanations are signal emissions/emanations caused by any information processing device or equipment. This term can be used to refer to any wireless signal emanation that is carrying confidential or private information that gives off emissions that could be intercepted.

Techopedia Explains Intelligence-Bearing Emanations

Intelligence-bearing emanations can be in the form of electrical, electromagnetic, mechanical or acoustic energy. Information-processing devices generally produce electrical and electromagnetic signals field around themselves and these emanations can carry all sorts of intelligence information. Such intelligence-bearing emanations are not encrypted and therefore may disclose passwords and other critical information in plain text form. Intelligence-bearing emanations are typically unintentional but can be compromising if they are intercepted and retrieved by a malicious hacker.