Impact of IT Equipment Location in Buildings on Electromagnetic Safety

Signal attenuation caused by the propagation path between the compromising emanation source (the location of secured IT equipment) and the location of the antenna of the potential infiltrating system has a direct influence on the electromagnetic safety of IT equipment. The article presents original analytical relationships necessary to estimate the attenuation values introduced by the propagation path of the potential compromising emanation signal, which correspond to the most probable locations of IT equipment in relation to the location of the potential infiltrating system. The author of the article analyzes various location scenarios for IT equipment – a potential source of compromising emanations – with a potential infiltrating system located either within or outside the boundaries of a building, in which said IT equipment is located. The aforementioned scenarios are characterized by the lowest propagation path attenuation of potential compromising emanation generated by the secured IT equipment and provide for location masking of the potential infiltrating system. Example design of protective solutions for IT equipment elaborated by article author in the form of a shielding enclosure is presented in the article as well.