Securing the AI Backbone: Fiber Sensing for Cyber-Physical Resilience of Data Center Networks

Yangmin Ding – NEC Labs America

The explosive growth of foundation models relies on exponentially dense fiber-optic networks within AI data centers. However, this critical physical backbone remains highly vulnerable to tampering, sabotage, and environmental damage. Disruptions here bypass traditional software cybersecurity, risking severe AI outages and grid instability.

This talk demonstrates how Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing (DFOS) transforms existing communication cables into a proactive cyber-physical security layer. By repurposing fibers into real-time sensors, we achieve meter-scale detection of physical anomalies with high accuracy in field deployments. Ultimately, this physical-layer protection provides the foundational resilience required for trustworthy foundation models.