High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Van Eck phreaking is the process of eavesdropping on the contents of a CRT- or LC-Display by detecting its electromagnetic emissions. It is named after Dutch computer researcher Wim van Eck, who in 1985 published the first paper on it, including proof of concept.Phreaking is the process of exploiting telephone networks, used here because of its connection to eavesdropping.