Re: [outages] CenturyLink fiber cut between Modesto, CA and San Jose, CA this AM.. Start time 4:26AM PST

[William Herrin <bill () herrin us>]

On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 1:02 PM, Keith Medcalf <kmedcalf () dessus com> wrote:
> No-Such-Agency typically taps communication lines by
> "back-hoe accident" of some sort on the path they are
> interested in tapping. Then again, maybe my tinfoil hat is too tight.

I'm gonna go with "too tight."

My main reason is that there's no need for our three-lettered friends
to risk themselves this way. It's far easier to invite specific
highly-placed employees of the communications company for a series of
meetings in a secure facility, after which the cable is rerouted
through an access-controlled room at one of its endpoints. No muss, no
fuss.

Then too, if they really do have to tap a cable, it's not like they
have to break it first. Dig it up mid-span, quietly let out slack from
the nearest vaults and nick the cladding on each fiber. Your link
gains half a db of loss (which you aren't actively monitoring anyway)
and their tap reads your data.

http://www.thefoa.org/tech/ref/appln/tap-fiber.html


Also, I think it more likely this is one of the angry anti-tech folks
in SF. Have you not heard about the tension between old-school
residents and the new tech workers who are driving up prices for
everything and basically driving everybody else out of town?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_bus_protests


Regards,
Bill Herrin




-- 
William Herrin ................ herrin () dirtside com  bill () herrin us
Owner, Dirtside Systems ......... Web: <http://www.dirtside.com/>