The FBI is involved
There has recently been a string of attacks
against Internet providers, the latest occurring in Livermore, Calif.,
on Monday night in which two AT&T fiber optic cables were
deliberately cut, USA Today reports.
A spokesman for AT&T, Jim Greer, has
stated: “It’s a serious matter and affects public safety at large.”
Whoever is cutting the cables will be subject to both state and federal
prosecution since AT&T’s fiber optic network is legally critical to
the country’s Internet infrastructure, the report notes.
There have been 14 similar attacks, all in
California. The FBI is currently investigating the matter and AT&T
is offering a $250,000 reward in connection with the attacks.
The FBI has said that whoever is cutting the
cables has been opening an underground vault and climbing inside to get
access to the lines. The culprit, who may be disguised as a utility
company employee, first cuts through the protective metal conduit before
cutting the lines themselves.
Although it is unclear who could be behind
these attacks, security experts have speculated that it could be a
disgruntled employee, or even terrorists examining our Internet
infrastructure to see how long it would take to repair.
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