Is that a realistic threat model? What does the technology look like to tap into 800Gbit/s of fiber traffic - under water?
The USS Jimmy Carter submarine is equiped to do it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_tapping The USA were caught tapping cables in the cold war https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ivy_Bells Now this doesn't mean that the Russians are right now tapping these cables; they could be simply mapping their precise location etc for later or using them as a training exercise. The Russians have submarines for this kind o…
Why regret? The intent is to be noticed.
This is like killing a person with polonium, which is made in just a handful of facilities around the world. Russia wants to cause worry. They want "respect", which mainly means fear.
The USS Jimmy Carter submarine is equiped to do it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_tapping The USA were caught tapping cables in the cold war https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ivy_Bells Now this doesn't mean that the Russians are right now tapping these cables; they could be simply mapping their precise location etc for later or using them as a training exercise. The Russians have submarines for this kind o…
Why regret? The intent is to be noticed. This is like killing a person with polonium, which is made in just a handful of facilities around the world. Russia wants to cause worry. They want "respect", which mainly means fear.
Unlike the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko with polonium-210 (to show agents don't defect and live), unlike military exercises in plain view of your adversary (to show your military prowess), and unlike displaying new shiny hardware at a parade (to make your adversary wonder about their capabilities); covertly tapping (or cutting) cables is done covertly, and as someone else mentioned has been going on by "both sides" for decades. If it was done overtly, the country who was being spied on would be tipped off and stop using that means of communication. I think willvarfar is closer to correct, they are probably mapping and looking for things, for future use, not exploiting things right now. I still think one of the things they're looking for, if they're actually over the cables, are other taps that have been placed by others before, or maybe looking for static ASW equipment laid there to detect subs.
What amazes me is that they think that getting the far right in power in the West is going to be good for Russia. Because, you know, things went so well for Russia the last time these people were in power...
Actually it did went ok for Russia - they got half of Europe and became one of world's two dominating powers.
Then collapsed into poverty, recovered slightly, got put under harsh sanctions, and are currently experiencing poverty again.
Actually it did went ok for Russia - they got half of Europe and became one of world's two dominating powers.
Then collapsed into poverty, recovered slightly, got put under harsh sanctions, and are currently experiencing poverty again.
And there was that whole "20 million dead during the war" bit. I'd think they'd want to play it safe!
(Edit: I guess that by "they" I mean "Putin and company" -- they have a lot of popular support, but it's hard to say how much is real and how much is self-seeking or the like.)
Russia is doing a lot of fearmongering in the run-up to the US elections. I stumbled across some agitprop on Twitter yesterday, where I read that Russia was recalling all students who were studying abroad. Out of curiosity (to say the least) I tracked down the source article, which was a) not available in English, and b) just Russians criticizing privileged Russians who sent their kids abroad to study. Looking around…
Putin recalled Russian military family members. For those that don't understand Russian culture that's Defcon 3.
I have read some translated-from-Russian media that the recalling's stated purpose was to reduce the ability of foreign intelligence services to recruit young college age Russians.