Signals analysis
(also signal processing)
Signals analysis definition
Signals analysis is a type of analysis that professionals perform on different systems. To perform a signals analysis, the person who does it has to intercept information from different signals. And by doing so, the person can gather and understand sensitive information sent via different channels. It’s one thing to collect information via the signals, but it also has to be analyzed and understood. To do so, cryptanalysis is performed on it. Signals can come from many different sources, like internal investigations, complaints, and other security-centric sources. Signals analysis is commonly associated with the field of signals intelligence (SIGINT). SIGINT involves collecting, analyzing, and exploiting intercepted signals, typically in the realm of communications intelligence (COMINT) and electronic intelligence (ELINT).
See also: cryptanalysis, information processing
Types of signals in signals analysis
- Continuous time signals – constant at all points in time.
- Discrete-time signals – happen at certain points in time.
- Deterministic signals – their value can be exactly defined at any point in time.
- Non-deterministic signals – also called random signals because they happen at random times.
- Even signals – symmetrical about the time origin.
- Odd signals – anti-symmetrical about the time origin.
- Periodic signals – repeat the same sequence after a certain period.
- Aperiodic signals – don’t repeat sequences or patterns.
- Real signals – take real values, which represent actual physical quantities, such as voltage or temperature.