Covert channel math: 128-bit secret leaks in 13s, 1TB weights take centuries
vishalmisra · x · 2026-10-25
Vishal Misra quantifies the covert-channel risk between AI agents, citing published side-channel rates from 10 bps to 50 KB/s: a 128-bit secret exfiltrates in 13s (or instantly at high rates), a 1 KB plan in 13min–20ms, while 1TB of weights would take 25,000 years–230 days — plans get through, weights don't. He challenges two unstated points: how isolated agents agreed on an encoding protocol (protocol execution != protocol discovery), and what bit/error rates were actually achieved — noting OpenAI published no bit rates.
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