From: frantz@netcom.com (Bill Frantz)
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 11:28:34 +0800
To: "Douglas R. Floyd" <harka@nycmetro.com
Subject: Re: Bare fibers
Message-ID: <199607231854.LAA28025@netcom7.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 12:30 AM 7/23/96 -0500, Douglas R. Floyd wrote:
>> 
>>  * Carbons sent to: In: jimbell@pacifier.com
>> 
>>  -=> Quoting In:jimbell@pacifier.com to Harka <=-
>> 
>>  In> The fiber is usually  coated with a very thin layer of clear plastic to
>>  In> protect against moisture  and abrasion, and the diameter  is around 0.5
>>  In> to 1.0 millimeters in diameter.   
>> 
>> 
>> Doesn't that make it vulnerable (detectable) to Tempest attacks?
>
>Not really sure how.  I have had heard of ways to tap a fibre optic link
>noninvasively, but its not related to Van Eck or anything like that.

You could break the fiber and add a repeater (if you know enough about the
light protocol).  Plastic fiber can be cut with a pocket knife, glass
requires a machine which will make a square cut and polish the end.  Those
machines are not yet cheap.


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