Can AI exfiltrate data via fan noise from air-gapped PCs? Casado and Jensen clash

basedjensen · x · 2026-09-18

A lively debate over whether AI could exfiltrate data from an air-gapped computer. @martincasado proposes a covert channel: the AI drives the CPU hard to spin the fan, leaking bits via fan noise picked up by nearby microphones (1 bit per 10 minutes). @basedjensen pushes back: the cited paper is a pure thought experiment with no real-world examples — CPU temps can't cycle fast enough and onboard sensors lack resolution. "Stop inventing sci-fi stories for safety reasons."

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