Security Basics mailing list archives
Re: Fiber optic vampire taps
From: Brad Arlt <arlt () cpsc ucalgary ca>
Date: Mon, 23 Dec 2002 16:57:54 -0700
On Mon, Dec 23, 2002 at 03:01:19PM -0500, Lee Brink wrote:
The other method they discussed is to remove the fiber cable's outer insulation and bend it. You could monitor the light signal at the bend via refraction. The two issues they brought up with this method is that AFATK it's only a theoretical method, and with the refraction a severe loss of db would result and be immediately noticed. I personally don't know much about fiber optic cabling, but the people in the network department that do know were confident on the above info.
I have heard similar. The insulation is pried back, and the glass is then shaved and *really* polished. There is no need to bend multimode fibre, as the light is already reflecting heavily, and you should only have to bend single mode very slightly. There is substantial signal lose, but if one does it right, the amount of signal arriving at each end is still sufficient to maintain data transfer and link status. I have not seen this done in person, but I have heard some "a friend of a friend" stories. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- __o Bradley Arlt Security Team Lead _ \<_ arlt () cpsc ucalgary ca University Of Calgary (_)/(_) I should be biking right now. Computer Science
Current thread:
- Fiber optic vampire taps Nick Iglehart (Dec 23)
- Re: Fiber optic vampire taps Bennett Todd (Dec 23)
- RE: Fiber optic vampire taps David (Dec 30)
- Re: Fiber optic vampire taps Lee Brink (Dec 23)
- Re: Fiber optic vampire taps Brad Arlt (Dec 24)
- RE: Fiber optic vampire taps Bruce De Witte (Dec 24)
- Re: Fiber optic vampire taps Alessandro Bottonelli (Dec 30)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: Fiber optic vampire taps Chris Berry (Dec 23)
- RE: Fiber optic vampire taps Alvey Robert W KPWA (Dec 23)
- Re: Fiber optic vampire taps Talisker (Dec 24)
- RE: Fiber optic vampire taps Hornat, Charles (Dec 24)
- RE: Fiber optic vampire taps ktyler (Dec 24)
- RE: Fiber optic vampire taps Chris Berry (Dec 24)
- RE: Fiber optic vampire taps Jimmy Sansi (Dec 27)
- RE: Fiber optic vampire taps Nick Iglehart (Dec 30)
- RE: Fiber optic vampire taps Jimmy Sansi (Dec 27)
(Thread continues...)
- Re: Fiber optic vampire taps Bennett Todd (Dec 23)