Several long-distance fibre-optic cables in France were “sabotaged” overnight, according to local police, causing widespread disruptions to internet services across the country.
The perpetrators remain at large, as the cat-and-mouse between police and criminals at the Olympics continues on the sidelines of sprints, swims, and shot puts.
The internet cables were severed early on Monday morning, said network provider Netalis on X. Junior Minister for Digital Affairs Marina Ferrari condemned the attacks, calling them “cowardly and irresponsible.”
Paris, where most of the Olympic events are taking place, has not been affected. Whether the attacks were intended to disrupt the Games or not is unclear at this time.
However, the incident comes a mere three days after an arson attack disrupted large sections of the French rail network, causing major delays just hours before the Olympic Games opening ceremony.
However, France’s interior minister suggested that the rail sabotage may be connected to far-left activists. It is not yet clear if police are linking the two attacks.
With millions of people converging on Paris for the Olympic Games, authorities are on high-alert for security risks, including from cyber criminals. Analysts predict that there could be as many as four billion cyber attacks at this year’s Games.
French intelligence services are especially on the lookout for Russian hackers. Russia has a long history of hacking the Olympics, and with the country banned from participating in the Games due to its invasion of Ukraine, tensions are at an all-time high.
At the Winter Olympics in South Korea in 2018, hackers linked to Russian intelligence services disrupted the online ticketing system and cut WiFi at the stadium during the Opening Ceremony.
While the Olympics is all fun and games for spectators, it also sets the stage cat-and-mouse between criminals and the police.
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