How do you hack a typewriter?

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

There are some here who've never even used a typewriter, so if you're one of them, just sit back and let those with a little grey hair and perhaps a few richer life experiences reminisce!

Last July (2014) in the midst of allegations the NSA and/or CIA had been spying on one of our better European allies, Germany, a proposal was made to return to producing some of their most sensitive documents on typewriters, instead of computers. And manual typewriters, at that!

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/15/germany-typewriters-espionage-nsa-spying-surveillance

The reasons for going truly "old school" had to do with hacking, which actually has been done for decades! I'd never really thought about such things, but it seems small microphones have been used to pick up keystrokes, tiny cameras have been used to photograph documents, used carbon paper's been snatched from trashcans, and even ribbons have had to be locked up at the end of the day. I'd guess that last one's probably why the manual vs electric/electronic machine thing came up: a used film "ribbon" cartridge can be fairly easily read, since only one character's typed at any given spot, while an inked cloth ribbon's much harder to read as it gets typed over many times in the same spot.

So, all you closet secret agents who grew up on James Bond (the "real" one--Sean Connery) and others of his genre, and banged away until you stuck a couple of keys yourself before computers invaded us, how else could you think of to hack a typewriter?

Rick C

 

[Mobuck]

Any of those things would require on-site access to the equipment. That would mean having a spy within the facility. If there's a spy there with access to the area, that spy would most likely have access to other sensitive areas as well and could get info in several other ways.

 

[opos]

Not a typewriter but very old school "hacking potential"...In the mid 60's I worked for a major company and had my office in Albuquerque...I dealt with a large scientific group and they used magnetic computer tape to store much of the sensitive information...the "tape library" and room housing the magnetic tape drives had walls that were lined (lead possibly?) to prevent any signal from the read/write heads from being picked up from an "outside listening capability". I know this is fact as I had an AEC Q clearance and was allowed in most areas unescorted but not the tape/drive rooms..I had a guard with me one day and we entered the tape area...he did not "clear" his whereabouts and his "signal" would not penetrate the walls and the main security office "lost him" for a while...we got an immediate and very business like "visit" from a group of armed and serious guards. Got a feeling they were very interested in keeping the data on those reels of tape very secure.

 

[FastEd]

You, also need to keep an eye on the person that is typing on the typewriter...

 

[Zorba]

"Air-Gapping" the computer would be an excellent start...

 

[WMB30]

You hack a typewriter with a Hacksaw

Bill

 

[bobski]

steal the notepad the typist used to dicate the message being typed.

 

[Viking Queen]

Nothing to add here, except. SIGH.... I really miss typewriters!

Loved banging away furiously on them.

Viking Queen

Now carry on........

 

[JohnBoy]

Not really a hack but - back in the day - I was assigned to track down the author of a type-written death threat that was sent via inter-office mail. (Anybody remember 'Dumb Crook Lineup'? The individual that sent this message could have been the poster child!)

Anyway, I examined the typed message and noticed there was a defect appearing on the letter 'e's appearing in the message. There were a few suspects so - after hours - I went to those offices and typed brief sample messages (with numerous 'e's) from the respective typewriters.

I found the typewriter that typed the message in a private office. The next day the office occupant admitted to the shenanigans when confronted.