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Russian Submarines are 'Prowling Around' Undersea Internet Cables (thehill.com)
An anonymous reader quotes The Hill:
Russian submarine activity around undersea cables that provide internet and other communications connections to North America and Europe has raised concerns among NATO officials, according to The Washington Post. NATO officials say an unprecedented amount of Russian deep-sea activity, especially around undersea internet lines, constitutes a newfound "vulnerability" for NATO nations. "We are now seeing Russian underwater activity in the vicinity of undersea cables that I don't believe we have ever seen," said NATO submarine forces commander and U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Andrew Lennon. "Russia is clearly taking an interest in NATO and NATO nations' undersea infrastructure."
"The Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment about the cables," reports the Washington Post, adding that "prowling around" the cables "could give the Kremlin the power to sever or tap into vital data lines, officials said."
They cite the commander of NATO's submarine forces, who says "We know that these auxiliary submarines are designed to work on the ocean floor, and they're transported by the mother ship, and we believe they may be equipped to manipulate objects on the ocean floor."
"The Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment about the cables," reports the Washington Post, adding that "prowling around" the cables "could give the Kremlin the power to sever or tap into vital data lines, officials said."
They cite the commander of NATO's submarine forces, who says "We know that these auxiliary submarines are designed to work on the ocean floor, and they're transported by the mother ship, and we believe they may be equipped to manipulate objects on the ocean floor."
Man, they've really been kicking sand in our faces lately. It's somewhat embarassing.
Deploy surveillance equipment around the undersea cables. If Russian submarines are operating there, gather intelligence about their submarines and maybe carry out some espionage. Make it a risky proposition for the Russians to keep playing these games.
The US used to (still does, I bet) tap Russian cables. Turnabout is fair play?
Read "Blind Man's Bluff" for stories of us playing all sorts of crazy sub games against the Russians.
Kinda feels like we've got a new Cold War, don't it? Only now it's an Information / Data / Commerce thing, not a Nukes thing.
The "Civilized World" jumped the shark ca. 1973.
They're probably laying time bombs or remote activation bombs for when they attack Estonia.
"I'm so tired of the Mainstream Military telling us Russia's aggressive, coordinated program to probe our vulnerabilities is a potential threat! Why don't they investigate Hillary's submarine crimes?"
I'm astonished: either the news-makers are amazingly stupid (the US has more or less openly discussed their task-specific subs capable of tapping such cables for twenty years...which means they've been able to do it for at least thirty), or this is another mendacious effort to paint the Russians as some sort of special bogeyman (they're still our primary strategic competitor, as they have been more or less for decades even after the cold war...an idea the previous president openly mocked, I'll remind everyone).
Either way this isn't news: it's either ignorant or manipulative. In neither case is it worth listening to.
-Styopa
That was the point he was making. Russia does seem much cooler.
You're really concerned with how "cool" a past-prime superpower looks? Gee, what an important consideration you fucking Trump buffoon.
Now we know why the Chinese are building a quantum network so it doesn't matter if one has the capability or not. Any taps will be detected.
because it makes it harder for them to do so to EVERYONE including their 'allies'.
towards well, your guess as good as mine..
Fact is that nervousness is increasing with all the little acts some "not so smart" people are undertaking.
How did wars start? Some event, be it a shot or some other rocket started, when the exciting level is pushed up and the spark ignites.
Are people learning from the past, looking at the current actors, definitely no. All feeding their own insanity and the millions either seduced by emotional excitement or staying remote in disgust are suffering from those the games those jerks play.
Truly amazing that this nonsense still happens.
System failure, reset & reboot, but on what hardware???
The US used to (still does, I bet) tap Russian cables. Turnabout is fair play?
Read "Blind Man's Bluff" for stories of us playing all sorts of crazy sub games against the Russians.
Kinda feels like we've got a new Cold War, don't it? Only now it's an Information / Data / Commerce thing, not a Nukes thing.
A more concerning question is: Have they installed cable severing devices that can be remotely triggered? I suppose a remotely-triggered bomb would be easy enough, but it might be something more sophisticated, such as a method to turn off a repeater and then turn it back on again later.
If we ever get into a war with a country that has submarines (or Disney, for that matter), expect intercontinental internet and phone service to be gone for the duration.
This would be a crippling economic tactic, so long as the US would suffer more than the country at war. For most countries it would be a net win for them.
I can't think of any realistic way to protect this asset, either.
Maybe satellite internet (per previous Slashdot article) isn't such a bad idea?
To cut the undersea cables is a declaration of war, right?
Of course they're tapping more cables. As if any country with the resources isnt or doesnt! Its 'cyber' cold war now and for the forseable future. Everyones part of it too, not just russia and the usa.
Did you mean Bush Sr/Jr?
You can bet that there will be explosives placed in various locations under the main internet communication links. Should it be required, a remote detonation signal could be sent and then say goodby to the internet. I suppose if they were going to go that far then they would also disable / destroy any satellites. Europe and the US would have almost all communications cut - good luck responding to a Russian threat in a timely manner.
This is all theoretical but if I were Russia, I would do it. Much easier then tapping into cables and there would be no way to find said explosives.
Imagine the disruption to a future Bitcoin Economy if international communication links could not be maintained. Ha!
isnt that what your supposed to do to submarines that dont mind their own business?
Politics is Treachery, Religion is Brainwashing
I imagine that Russian has done this, as have other unfriendly submarine nations.
This story isn't really about Russian submarines. It's about US warmongers figuratively testing the waters to see if they have the necessary domestic and international support for an armed conflict with Russia. "Look, Russia is threatening critical infrastructure! Can we please kick their ass already? Papa wants a new $10 Trillion war."
Can we have a method to filter out all the Russia stories?
Tapping? I call BS. You so much as cut that cable, it would be fucked from all the seawater intrusion already at crushing depths.
Yeah because the rubber coating is protecting the fiber from pressure ... oh wait
Well, aren't condoms designed to protect our dicks from the crushing pressure of vaginas?
#DeleteFacebook
Not much you can do to prevent physical destruction, but that would be a fairly obvious event.
More likely in my mind is tapping the cables. /decryption should be fast enough, and only the company that runs the endpoints need know the keys.
Why would all the data sent across these not be encrypted by default?
Hardware encryption
Is this a case of engineers just being naive? Same as airplane /traffic control security?
He means Toddler-boy Trump, who already has the Commandant of the Marine Corps salivating over the thought of some exciting general-ling from the comfort of his cushioned arm-chair in the air-conditioned war-room.
A quick victorious war, and then he'll be Presidential Turd for life.
Hell if I know, I post on slashdot
But... uh... WINNING!
Wait, is it the sitcom douche or the reality-TV douche that said that?
Specially design submarines have underwater diving bell type airlock compartments that can be positioned above a cable, the cable hauled up and the splicing work is performed with the airlock.
Russia have already been 'the enemy' within living memory. You're supposed to choose a new one to keep people guessing. Doh!
Requiem for the American Dream
Undersea cables have more taps than they do cable!
The California National Guard alone can project more global military power than Russia.
Had to quit reading when I got to the above.
Don't gloat. This was all according to plan. The very last thing the post-WWII West wanted was an efficient, robust Soviet economy. This was made easier to avoid by the poor Soviets wasting five generations of their people's potential under the worst economic theory ever concocted. I believe the Russian people have suffered enough but the swingin' cocks in both our capitols won't let it rest. If their children had to be bayoneted in the mud it might be different but we all know that ain't gonna happen...
I love how the liberals all think Trump is Putin's stooge. Putin is the enemy, but he really doesn't give a fuck about Donald Trump. Putin's real game is to divide the USA between left and right, white and black. He is doing it very effectively. If the liberals really wanted to give a finger to Putin they would support Donald Trump and join forces with the conservatives and unite behind the flag of the United States.
The conservatives should do the same thing and unite with the liberals. Support black lives matter along with the stars and stripes, and realize that there is no reason to be divided internally when Russia, China, and Mexico are all united together against the USA.
With Hillary we would have had some lame posturing to look strong and an emphasis on quick reaction times to overcompensate for idiotic Benghazi criticism.
Other than that, we would just have to put up with qualified people running government agencies. And Republicans in Congress continuing to "investigate" things instead of working with Democrats to pass compromise legislation, so we'd be cycling hard through all that government shut down stock volatility that Republican insiders make shit-tons of money on.
What's the big deal -- we ARE using TLS, IPsec, SSH, etc. right? What data are they tapping into besides your kitty videos?
I love all the random anons piping in and high fiving each other about "evil Russians." Ever since globalist front BIZX, LLC purchased Slashdot a year or so ago, this odd propaganda has been pushed in every story.
There is no tech news anymore.
If you don't make some "anti Russia" comment, you are modded down.
Looks as though there is an army of ghost accounts maturing like pupa as those accounts ferment to the point of having modpoints.
You are a BIGOT and a RACIST and break against everything that the purchase of Slashdot by BIZX, LLC stands for.
Prepare to be banned!
To me it just sounds like someone wants more budget for their navy and Russia is the current bogeyman.
Are they up to something? Yeah, probably. Are we up to something? Yeah, probably. Is scaring a bunch of people a way to get money voted to your department? Very definitely.
You should have continued reading because the statement is pretty much true.
People routinely under estimate US military power and over estimate everyone else. If the US politicians would let the military fight a war without one hand tied behind their backs there wouldn't be any never ending festering conflicts that in the world. In WW2 the US military pounded the shit out of their opponents until any opposition was killed. Collateral damage and civilian casualties did not hinder any military operations.
The globalist crap has been laid on extra thick lately, and certain lying editors have been burying anything that does not toe the globalist line EVEN IF it is a tech-relevant story.
You are on the losing side of history, globalists.
The U.S. government is not your friend.
The Russian government is not your friend.
The EU is not your friend.
Governments subsist by dividing people from other people and convincing us that we need them. Nationalism and globalism alike are cancer.
Say no to war, regulation, taxation and police statism.
Say yes to liberty, capitalism, free trade, and open communication.
Put you on the front line then. See how you like be up close and personal to your enlightened fix!
"Russia could cut off internet to nato countries british military chief warns" 2017 DEC 14
https://www.theguardian.com/wo...
Peach’s warning came against a background of proposed cutbacks to the UK’s armed forces, including a reduction in the number of marines from 7,000 to 6,000 and the scrapping of two amphibious landing ships as part of a Cabinet Office security review scheduled to be announced early next year.
It's adding or sutracting information from information already sent.
Hmmm. Our memory doesn't go back to Vietnam much less the American Revolution does it? The message of history is pretty clear. Occupying forces from a dominant military control the ground they stand on completely. ... And if they are so motivated, the guys in black pajamas or homespun clothes control everything else.
You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
Mexico? Surely not. After all, Mexicans share a common language and culture with 40% of the population of California and Texas. There are wide swaths of the LA basin where you'll be hard put to find a sign in English.
You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
You have nothing, only accusations, and nothing to back it up with. What HAS been proven definitely is that NSA and/or CIA have been involved in tapping and sabotaging other countries undersea cables, after their own classified material and reports leaked.
America is sabotaging your networks and communication means, while making you angry at Russia about it. Wake the F up and realize that Russia is not the problem, they are only the scapegoat and distraction.
Let's see how well your californian guard tackles terrorism before taking your bullshit seriously.
Terrorist "refugees" have been invading america for the last 50 years, more so under terrorist-in-chief obama.
It came to a point where America now is indistinguishable from terrorism, it in fact embodies terrorism, supplying it's ISIS branches with weaponry, with CIA intelligence etc.
Of course when shit hit the fan, terrorist headquarters in Pentagon had to temporarily distance themselves, and double down on propaganda.
With the amount of homeless, undereducated, and unhealthy in America, I'd argue about its 1st world status. Increasing numbers of 3rd world "refugees" also damages its reputation.
Theres no way he could have LIED?!?
No sane person thinks Putin likes Trump, but Trump thinks he does. Putin is trying to keep the US divided and knows as long as he keeps praising Trump, Trump's ego will keep him from doing anything while Putin does whatever he wants. Trump is very much a stooge, and like most stooged unwittingly so.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
Sounds like some organization is sniffing around looking for money to strengthen undersea cable connections.
This threat has always existed.
you do realize that trump and putin do talk IT. why would the US waste time ( time is $ ) when putin can do the work then hook up with trump.
Isn't kitty porn against the law?
The West likes to think nobody can recall Ivy Bells.
That was within territorial waters and off limits to foreign vessels.
Operation Ivy Bells https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Ivy Bells was targeting military communications. The undersea cables we're talking about in this story is civilian use.
If the Russians were / are going after US/NATO military comms there'd be less of a stink IMHO. It's the difference between bombing a air force base and bombing a hospital. (At least on purpose, shit does happen.)
Of course Russia isn't above purposefully targeting civilians since the ends justify the means it seems:
* http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-14/aleppo-civilians-targeted-final-attack-report-finds/8267924
thought the exact same thing, and stopped reading at the same point. Not sure what "projecting military power" means but i dont think a few coast guard cuters trying to rescue stranded fishermen does that?
Care to list any "war" the US participated in without an ally and won?
Korean war?
Vietnam war?
Golf war (1 and 2)?
The US really "pounded the shit out of those" people.
Not sure how cutting those cables would stop me from getting to facebook. It would on the other hand ruin Russia's internet.
Golf war
Trump is out there fighting it every day.
Only crack the nuts that crack. You don't put the ones that don't crack in the sack.
Seriously, you lost. Get over it.
People hate the Democrats' arrogance and pretentiousness. You want proof? It's easy. Who controls the following: Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, most state legislatures, most state governorships, the federal court system?
Republicans do. Why? Because they aren't a bunch of stuck-up, whiny-ass, spoiled, arrogant brats.
Oh, wait, that's right. It was the Russians. The Democrats are impotent because Vladimir Putin is a meanie pants.
No wonder no one is voting Democrat.
Grenada
Yes! I am also American and is obvious that USA is much worser than the Russia. With president oBama noone in world was safe, especially of the undersea cables. Maybe strong and handsome president Trump can fix problem and have world work together again for peaces and prosperity of all!
The USA is rightfully concerned about this behaviour as it's exactly what they have been doing for years
This has been done since Submarines were reliable enough to do so. Hell, surface ships were pulling up submerged cables to put taps on them around a century ago.
You Millennials are so cute thinking you are the first to think of an idea and act on it.
Beware of Sales Reps bearing gifts.
Maybe it's got something to do with how Putin is playing the US president like a violin. He knows that stroking Trump's insatiable ego will let him get away with anything he wants to do.
The way I heard it, Washington had granted them exclusive tapping rights.
NUKE EM
I too living in America and born here with star an stripes !
I says we need not worry about Russia as is great and peaceful country under wise leader Putin. Forget the worries with Russia. Nothing to be seeing here old chum so best be moving along !
Phew i'm so glad we have rid of devil obama !!! President Trump will make glorious benefit for all America, wait and see !
I hate to disappoint "The Hill" but this kind of thing was stock and trade for cold war era antics.
And the way the article was written; you would think it was edited by a 2nd grader that can't find the term DSRV anywhere or look up the evolution of deep diving vessels that manipulate things on the ocean floor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep-submergence_rescue_vehicle
Gad, you can rent one for repairing underwater oil pipelines from offshore rigs.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5b/7c/15/5b7c158be3ce5919e596f468b6a1ac4f.jpg
NRRPT/RCT
The US has been poking around underwater cables off the coast of Russia, and previously the USSR, for years. Here's a fun example from the late 70's early 80's: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... Also lets not forget that the USS Jimmy Carter is probably up to this stuff right now: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...