The FBI is investigating a string of attacks on Internet cables in the San Francisco Bay Area and causing massive outages, with the most recent act of vandalism taking place on Tuesday.
There have been 11 attacks on Internet cables since July of 2014, culminating with Tuesday’s incident, which reportedly took place around 4:30 a.m. in Livermore, California and affected several Internet providers, according to Southern California Public Radio. Numerous businesses and residences were affected as a result of Tuesday’s incident.
FBI Special Agent Greg Withrich described the incidents as “disturbing” in an interview with USA Today. “When it affects multiple companies and cities, it does become disturbing. We definitely need the public’s assistance,” he said.
The three fiber-optic cables that were cut in the early morning hours reportedly belonging to Colorado-based service providers Level 3 and Zayo. The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft experienced “a slowdown in its Azure cloud computing service in the western U.S linked to cut fiber,” which reached all the way up to Seattle.
The FBI is requesting the public’s help in order to identify the individuals responsible for these acts of vandalism, which have taken place in Fremont, Walnut Creek, Alamo, Berkeley, Livermore and San Jose over the course of a year.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at 415-553-7400. Tips can also be submitted at: tips.fbi.gov.
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