Northern California is returning to normal after vandals cut fiber optic phone lines and disrupted communications and Internet access for 17 hours last Friday. But AT&T is serious about finding the culprits—so much so that it has raised its initial reward of $100,000 to $250,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. The news of AT&T's $250,000 bounty hit the local papers and popular Web sites such as Gizmodo, and was featured on AT&T's Twitter feed.

The takeaway: Much attention has been focused lately on possible cyber attacks, such as Conficker from foreign hackers, and steps can be taken to secure your computer and data from hackers. (See our Guide to Online Security for helpful tips.) But this latest physical sabotage on AT&T's telecom network and the recent report about possible cyber-hacks into the nation's power grid, has led some (such as CNet) to wonder if our physical infrastructure is safe. Obviously, such physical assaults on the nation’s vital networks can be serious.

But there are hopes that the vandals might be apprehended, if forensic evidence is uncovered. And, as many law enforcement officials can attest, offering a large cash reward often helps too. And with analysts predicting a double-digit unemployment rate in the Silicon Valley area next year, it wouldnt be surprising if $250,000 leads someone aware of the act to spill the beans.