Air-Gapped Network Communication Protocol AirBridge Released: Data Transfer Between Disconnected Devices via Sound Waves and Light Signals

In January 2029, Israeli cybersecurity company CyberVault released the AirBridge protocol. This technology allows air-gapped devices to exchange data through sound waves and visible light signals, without any network connections, USB devices, or physical cables.

AirBridge's acoustic mode uses device speakers and microphones for data transmission. The system encodes binary data as ultrasonic pulses in the 20-22kHz frequency band, beyond human hearing range but capturable by standard microphones. In quiet environments, acoustic mode has an effective transmission range of 3-5 meters with a data rate of 40 bits per second.

The optical mode uses screen brightness changes and cameras for communication. The sender modulates specific screen area brightness at 60 frames per second, while the receiver captures brightness variations through a camera to decode data. Utilizing the screen's refresh rate ceiling, optical mode achieves 200 bits per second but requires direct line-of-sight between sender and receiver.

AirBridge was designed to provide data exchange solutions for high-security environments like nuclear power plants and military installations. Israel's Ministry of Defense has conducted security assessments of AirBridge and deployed it in pilot installations at select facilities.