Penetration Testing mailing list archives
Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring
From: John Brand <jbrand () ARL ARMY MIL>
Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2000 15:06:14 -0400
I'd be nervous about smoke. Based on what I think I got in ordnance basic, 30 yrs ago, some thoughts: Lots of mixtures are acid. That could be a lot of fun with electronics. Some act hygroscopically. Example: TiCl4, though don't know if it's still used or even available. You get TiO2 (like in white paint) and HCl; the HCl then dissolves itself in atmospheric water to form hydrochloric acid droplets (acid fog). Some pyrotechnic smoke residue is loaded with perchlorate or nitrate residues, very hygroscopic, corrodes like crazy. Example: black powder residue. Having something like that deposit itself wetly inside my machines looks like nearly impossible to clean out and likely to corrode. Not wild about lungs, either. Don't know what hydrocarbon (fog oil) smoke would do to electronics in the long term after it condensed out all over everything. No, there is no greasy feel to exposed surfaces in the field after diesel or fog oil smoke, but I'd not bet my machine and my data on it. Maybe no problem. Maybe destruction. If memory serves one is supposed to wear a gas mask in it, but that could have been corporate CYA. Other smokes are basically carbon--soot. That could be fun, too. High noise micro-resistors, though presumably the potting should protect the teeny tiny electrical connections. It is worth remembering that, at least at low temperatures, the residue from black electrical tape between connectors produces enough noise to get in the way of low level light detectors. You can't see it but you better clean the (invisible) traces with solvent. Don't know what soot would do, esp. visible soot, esp. at high freqs. I have heard that the average cigarette smoke particle is bigger than the head clearance distance for floppies--HDs presumably sealed--which could be fun, too, with a wet smoke that may just sit there for a while. Or carbon black. For more info you could perhaps access the Army smoke tech manuals through the web. Don't know for sure; they may not be public domain. Does not seem like a good idea to use the stuff unless the smoke manufacturer will post some iron clad indemnities and answer some really detailed questions. I'd also be nervous about lawyers. Some of that stuff rots your lungs for sure, and how could you prove all of it doesn't? Out of twelve jurors, half are below average. My two cents. Feel free to suppress if not germane. regards, john b.
Current thread:
- Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring Tim (Oct 19)
- Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring Charlie Rhodes (Oct 19)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring Thomas Hayward (Oct 20)
- Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring Frank Knobbe (Oct 20)
- Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring Frank Knobbe (Oct 20)
- Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring Meritt, Jim (Oct 20)
- Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring Stiles, Robert (Oct 24)
- Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring Carskadden, Rush (Oct 24)
- Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring John Brand (Oct 25)
- Re: [PEN-TEST] Datacenter Wiring Rebecca Kastl (Oct 25)