VPN question

[James Knott]

Justin Zygmont wrote:
> On Sat, 20 Dec 2003, James Knott wrote:
> 
> 
>>Justin Zygmont wrote:
>>
>>>Just a thought about VPN's and a hope to get back on topic to fun linux 
>>>things, I was wondering if anyone knows why an encrypted VPN is so 
>>>important using a phone line when it's usually just a point to point link 
>>>with no chance of interception?  
>>
>>Why do you think a phone line has no chance of interception?  Phone 
>>lines have been tapped for years.  It is very easy to do, if you know how.
> 
> 
> to intercept data transmission?  I don't think so.  I never heard of that 
> happening.
> 
> 

You may not have heard of it happening, but it's easy to do.  When you
get a phone line, it goes to the central office, where there is plenty
of equipment to monitor the connection.  It isn't terribly difficult to
plug in the appropriate equipment to monitor whatever is carried on the
circuit.  Also, in many homes there are line protectors mounted just
outside the point where the cable enters the building.  On the underside
of many of those, is a pair of screw terminals, where someone could
easily connect for tapping into your line.  As far as getting the data,
it was very easy in the days of 1200 bps and slower modems, but it's
still not that difficult to do.  For example, the source code for the
Linux drivers for many "Winmodems" is available for download.  It
wouldn't be too hard for a competent programmer, to turn that modem into
a monitor capable of intercepting V.92 modems etc.



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