RE: Fiber optic vampire taps

[ktyler () nautilus-ins com]

   In fact, a $1,200 "clip" can be used to tap into fiber-optics to steal or inject data into a     
   system, Cohen said                                                                               
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
   Don't believe everything you read. I highly doubt that you can buy or even make a device that    
   simply "clips" on to a fiber cable to tap data.                                                  
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
   Keith                                                                                            
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    






                                                                                                                        
         
                      "Hornat, Charles"                                                                                 
         
                      <Charles_Hornat@standardan        To:       <security-basics () securityfocus com>                
            
                      dpoors.com>                       cc:                                                             
         
                                                        Subject:  RE: Fiber optic vampire taps                          
         
                      12/24/2002 07:05 AM                                                                               
         
                                                                                                                        
         
                                                                                                                        
         




This is not true.  The US Navy did this to the Russians a few years
back.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2002/07/29/newscolumn2.h
tml

I don't recall what this method was called back then though, it wasn't
"clips".

Charles



-----Original Message-----
From: Alvey Robert W KPWA [mailto:AlveyRW () kpt nuwc navy mil]
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 5:48 PM
To: 'nick () systemsecuritysolutions com';
security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: RE: Fiber optic vampire taps

In order to tap into a fiber line you have to break the sheath.  The
signal
is entirely optic, if you don't break the sheath you can't even see the
signal.  However, even if someone does decide to break into it then
they've
got another problem, exactly how to do it, it's extremely difficult
because
any sort of tapping into the signal seriously degrades the link, that's
if
it doesn't go down entirely, and it would be immediately noticeable if
someone was tapping into your fiber line.

-----Original Message-----
From: Nick Iglehart [mailto:nick () systemsecuritysolutions com]
Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 3:41 PM
To: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: Fiber optic vampire taps



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I have a client who has a fiber optic line between two buildings.
There is no physical security and so they are concerned about someone
tapping into the fiber line and capturing data.

I read something a while back about tapping fiber optic lines without
breaking the sheathing and now I can't seem to find anything but vague
references to it.  I have googled for hours and checked the sf archives
with
no luck.  Anyone have any references to this?  Any help is appreciated.

Nick

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