Hacking Fibre Optic Service

[webdevii1]

I have an issue where I suspect my neighbor is tapping or otherwise listening in on my fios voice service.  Is this even possible.  If so is there a way to identify it and stop it

Thank You

Dev

[gs0b]

Does your neighbor work for the NSA?

Seriously, hacking into the fiber is very difficult.  It takes lots of specialized (i.e. expensive) equipment and skill.  It is unlikely your neighbor can do it.

Copper phone lines are relatively easy to tap into.  FiOS uses fiber to the ONT, and then copper to connect to the telephones in the home. Anyone who has access to the copper could tap into the phone.  If you really think someone is listening to your calls, check all your wires for taps.

Good Luck.

[mfizzy]

As MVP stated it is highly unlikely you neighbor tapped into the fiber. But he could easily tap your copper lines at the house. If the ONT is inside as well as you lines at the house, I doubt he tapped your line. What would make you think he tapped your line? Do you have a mystery wire running from your house to theirs?

[webdevii1]

---

@hlppls wrote:

As MVP stated it is highly unlikely you neighbor tapped into the fiber. But he could easily tap your copper lines at the house. If the ONT is inside as well as you lines at the house, I doubt he tapped your line. What would make you think he tapped your line? Do you have a mystery wire running from your house to theirs?

---

The reason I say this is there have been too many coinkiy dinks from what I say on the phone and the actions at my neighbors.  My ONT in inside and in the closet as well as the copper.  There is no way anyone can get to the copper.

That is relieving.  but you know technology,  it it was even possible or not.

Thank you for the info

dev

[webdevii1]

---

@gs0b wrote:

Does your neighbor work for the NSA?

Seriously, hacking into the fiber is very difficult.  It takes lots of specialized (i.e. expensive) equipment and skill.  It is unlikely your neighbor can do it.

Copper phone lines are relatively easy to tap into.  FiOS uses fiber to the ONT, and then copper to connect to the telephones in the home. Anyone who has access to the copper could tap into the phone.  If you really think someone is listening to your calls, check all your wires for taps.

Good Luck.

---

I know, and no he does not work for the NSA,  I used to work for Verizon back in the copper days so I do know how that is done, thank you for the reassurment

dev

[Telcoguru · Accepted solution]

There are only a few ways that he could listen in. The first would be to hard-wire into a jack in your house but there would be a wire somewhere. The second would be if you where using a cordless phone he could scan the cordlesss phone frequencies and listen in. Lastly he would have to get inside your house and place a bug on your phone.

[webdevii1]

---

@Telcoguru wrote:

There are only a few ways that he could listen in. The first would be to hard-wire into a jack in your house but there would be a wire somewhere. The second would be if you where using a cordless phone he could scan the cordlesss phone frequencies and listen in. Lastly he would have to get inside your house and place a bug on your phone.

---

Ok gota question for you on this then.....  how easy is it to hack a 5.4Ghz cordless panasonic phone.  otherwise all of my ONT equipment is inside the residence no accessable outside copper.

Another question I have been wondering about, MagicJack,  how easy is that to intercept I also have a 5.4 Ghz phone attached to that service.  But my question on MJ is it hackable via the VoIP side?

As I do not know alot about VoIP other than it is voice over ethernet.

lemme know if you  could please

thanks again

dev

[Telcoguru]

I would imagine it would be extremely diffult to hack VOIP. The cordless phone would be much easier with some  electronic skills.

[webdevii1]

---

@Telcoguru wrote:

I would imagine it would be extremely diffult to hack VOIP. The cordless phone would be much easier with some  electronic skills.

---

That is what I was kinda thinking, as my roomate is of the pesimistic model, and believes there is no such thing as Security when it comes to technology.  I am trying to explain to him that anything is hackable however it all depends how much $$$$ you have and how much effort and ungoddly time you want to spend learning it. 

In regards to the Handsets the 5.4 Ghz Wireless Freq is next to impossible to hack unless you have some fairly sophisticated equipment.  Like at least $500.00 to $1,000.00 to spend.  So unless my vindective neighbor, hates me that much  I really do not think he is going to go that route even though he is a Multi Millionaire with too much time on his hands.  I still think his skill set is that of a **bleep** with an IQ of less than 100.  Instead of attacking me directly he pays his little pawns to do his bidding for me,  he really is a pan he has terrorized my 91 y/o mother I am trying to take care of and threatened my life in a serious manner in front of her.  he has dumpster dived my private personal trash cans, and I could get into it more but

wont.  

I happen to be a private investigator which comes in handy, because of the neighborhood I live in we dub Mayberry

because it appears crime free, however it is all behind closed doors and the only Zipcode in Long Beach CA remaining free of Gang Interdiction and Drug Interdiction Zones, and I intend to keep it that way.  otherwise Long Beach Proper has gone to **bleep** literly worse than the Skid Row you have probably heard bout in Los Angeles off of 2nd and San Pedro

So between myself and my roomate who is also a private investigator, he does most of my face to face and in the field

work for me and I am the skip tracer of the biz.  I did that job for Verizon for 18 yars before a sudden layoff 1 year before

they changed names from GTE to Verizon.

So anyhows I do thank you for your input and you have made my mind a bit more easy to contain

Regards and Thank you

Dev

[twyner]

      I hate to be a naysayer and in general find no fault with any of the comments here. My history includes several years of telecomm exp and ranges from working with & for the FBI and other related agencies, mostly in tapping and bugging. I was involved in both R&D and actual field work but usually only from the warehouses, etc., not on-scene.

   That's why I felt compelled to respond here. For reasons I'll get into in a sec, there is no such thing as 100% security nor that it takes $$$$$ to achieve it.  It's very possible to cheaply "rent" or hire people to do these jobs.

   It wasn't well covered, but most of what was mentioned indicated the use of wires to tap with. Actually, if ANYTHING digital is in operation, it is often possibile to nstall pretty cheap (even surplus equip) to "hear" what's going on in an enclosed area, plus sensitive receivers can be placed to pick up and record anything digital going on in any enclosure.  No wires - just simple RF and digital taps.  The information can either be broadcase to the listener, or recorded and may have to be picked up periodically and be brought in for decoding. 

   There is more to it, but my point is it doesn't take mega dollars to acquire the equipment.

   One other thng never me ntioned was that such suspicions should always be reported to local law enforcement. They won't be able to help at all, but the value of the reporting is to show when you first suspected it, and later if need be would have public records to back up your future claims.

   The things I've me ntioned are also illegal, so ... any future evidence might need the past records to substantiate part of the claim.  For details for a well seasoned reader, see the FCC requirements for telephone use and implementation and enforcement.  It used to be in Section 68, Part 47 but that may have been changed to something more modern, I don't know.

   If I were a licensed PI, I think I would have better places to get information than from this board, in all honesty, since you are playing with Federal Law when you talk about tapping, bugg9ing, et al.

[webdevii1]

I do understand where your coming from but I am not asking how to do it but how to prevent it.   What I have gained here has been helpful

dev

[webdevii1]

---

@twyner wrote:

      I hate to be a naysayer and in general find no fault with any of the comments here. My history includes several years of telecomm exp and ranges from working with & for the FBI and other related agencies, mostly in tapping and bugging. I was involved in both R&D and actual field work but usually only from the warehouses, etc., not on-scene.

   That's why I felt compelled to respond here. For reasons I'll get into in a sec, there is no such thing as 100% security nor that it takes $$$$$ to achieve it.  It's very possible to cheaply "rent" or hire people to do these jobs.

   It wasn't well covered, but most of what was mentioned indicated the use of wires to tap with. Actually, if ANYTHING digital is in operation, it is often possibile to nstall pretty cheap (even surplus equip) to "hear" what's going on in an enclosed area, plus sensitive receivers can be placed to pick up and record anything digital going on in any enclosure.  No wires - just simple RF and digital taps.  The information can either be broadcase to the listener, or recorded and may have to be picked up periodically and be brought in for decoding. 

   There is more to it, but my point is it doesn't take mega dollars to acquire the equipment.

   One other thng never me ntioned was that such suspicions should always be reported to local law enforcement. They won't be able to help at all, but the value of the reporting is to show when you first suspected it, and later if need be would have public records to back up your future claims.

   The things I've me ntioned are also illegal, so ... any future evidence might need the past records to substantiate part of the claim.  For details for a well seasoned reader, see the FCC requirements for telephone use and implementation and enforcement.  It used to be in Section 68, Part 47 but that may have been changed to something more modern, I don't know.

   If I were a licensed PI, I think I would have better places to get information than from this board, in all honesty, since you are playing with Federal Law when you talk about tapping, bugg9ing, et al.

---

I totally respect what you are saying, and have reported to law enforcement,  they really dont seem to give a rats **bleep**. 

But yeah I know the T word and the H word are very sensitive in forums like this and I try to use them sparingly and in the proper context.   Believe me I do not care about know how to do this just preventing it

Thanks for your input

Dev

[tns2]

As far as how easy to break security you didn't specify what generation of phone you are talking about.  Some, even digital phones, had no security.  Those are relatively easy to receive and the early security is also commonly hacked. However even the currently common DECT phones have security that has been broken.  Fortunately for those with security, its not that easy to do.  More likely some other means being used if they really are getting your phone calls.

As someone previously mentioned tapping your copper wire somewhere is easy.

[webdevii1]

---

@tns_2 wrote:

As far as how easy to break security you didn't specify what generation of phone you are talking about.  Some, even digital phones, had no security.  Those are relatively easy to receive and the early security is also commonly hacked. However even the currently common DECT phones have security that has been broken.  Fortunately for those with security, its not that easy to do.  More likely some other means being used if they really are getting your phone calls.

As someone previously mentioned tapping your copper wire somewhere is easy.

---

The Magic Jack Wireless Handset is Panasonic Model Number KX-TGA660  -  # of handsets = 1  5.4 Ghz DECT 6

The Verizon Fios Wireless Handset is Panasonic Model Number KX-TGA931T # of handsets = 6  2.4 Ghz DECT 6

All are secure behind locked gates and property doors. 

It would be interesting to know how to detect wireless intrusion to these devices.  There has just been too many things

that I can no longer write off as coinkydink's

Dev

[webdevii1]

---

@tns_2 wrote:

As far as how easy to break security you didn't specify what generation of phone you are talking about.  Some, even digital phones, had no security.  Those are relatively easy to receive and the early security is also commonly hacked. However even the currently common DECT phones have security that has been broken.  Fortunately for those with security, its not that easy to do.  More likely some other means being used if they really are getting your phone calls.

As someone previously mentioned tapping your copper wire somewhere is easy.

---

Ok, I have the 2014 model Panasonic 5.4 Ghz wireless phones,  There is no open access to any copper outside the walls of the dwelling.  As my fiber and ONT are terminated inside the house in a closet, and all of the copper is running under the house. 

There just has just been too many coinkydinks in conversations lately,  I am assuming it is probably the wireless handsets themselves.  it seems to be the most logical.

Dev

[smith6612]

To put this on the record, the data stream between the Verizon ONT and the Central office is encrypted (no idea what the algorithm is), so even if your neighbor is on the same PON as you are, decrypting your information would require expensive equipment and plenty of patience.

If you are worried, avoid using Wireless communications. Cabling up is the best way to stay secure. Encrypt your traffic wherever possible. HTTPS Everywhere is a good browser plug-in to use to ensure Encryption is forced when possible. VPNs are good, too. Just avoid IPSec VPNs. If you use VoIP rather than FiOS Phone, you can consider tunnelling the VoIP traffic through a VPN if you have VoIP setup on a PC, or a capable router.

[webdevii1]

---

@Smith6612 wrote:

To put this on the record, the data stream between the Verizon ONT and the Central office is encrypted (no idea what the algorithm is), so even if your neighbor is on the same PON as you are, decrypting your information would require expensive equipment and plenty of patience.

If you are worried, avoid using Wireless communications. Cabling up is the best way to stay secure. Encrypt your traffic wherever possible. HTTPS Everywhere is a good browser plug-in to use to ensure Encryption is forced when possible. VPNs are good, too. Just avoid IPSec VPNs. If you use VoIP rather than FiOS Phone, you can consider tunnelling the VoIP traffic through a VPN if you have VoIP setup on a PC, or a capable router.

---

I do have one VoIP service MagicJack,  that is connected to the router directly,  and works fine,  if anyone here could assist in some pointers in how to secure the VoIP connection I would be greatly appreciated.

Dev

I am using the ASUS AC 66U Wireless Router with Merlin firmware

[LawrenceC]

As this thread is now over two years old, it will be locked in order to keep discussions current. If you have the same or a similar question/issue we invite you to start a new thread on the topic.