Undersea cable attack. The cables have become a crucial part of the West's data .

Undersea cable attack. In November, breaks in two data cables in the Baltic Sea garnered media attention far beyond what problems with undersea critical infrastructure normally generate. Within the so-called internet superhighway, the cables can carry sensitive government communications, and are used to support overseas military operations. Jan 14, 2025 · Attacks on underwater cables in strategic areas connecting telecommunication lines and power sources in Asia and Europe are suspected to be coordinated attacks by China and Russia. Although the incident is still under May 3, 2023 · Russia may sabotage undersea cables to punish Western nations for supporting Ukraine, NATO's intelligence chief warned on Wednesday, as the alliance boosts efforts to protect undersea Jan 21, 2025 · For instance, those organisations working on a day-to-day basis on CNI projects involving undersea pipelines and cables may not be aware of the likelihood and potential impact of attacks on the nation’s CNI or how critical it would be to UK businesses, citizens, the economy and national security. Nov 28, 2024 · NATO's senior expert on cyber and hybrid threats says the persistent attacks on undersea cables across Europe is “the most active threat" to Western infrastructure. The cables have become a crucial part of the West's data Nov 19, 2024 · The damage to two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea may have been caused by Russia, according Boris Pistorius. The incident has Apr 12, 2025 · Following a string of alleged Russian attacks on undersea cables, a group of Europe’s largest telecom companies are urging NATO and other military leaders to do more to protect the region's 2 days ago · The risk of Russia- and China-backed attacks on undersea cables carrying international Internet traffic is likely to rise amid a spate of incidents in the Baltic Sea and around Taiwan, according to a report. The military organization is concerned about Russia’s mapping activities to locate vital Western infrastructure in waters around Europe used to transport energy and internet data. A 1,170km Jan 5, 2018 · It might seem like a nightmare scenario. Around 600 undersea cables carry electricity and information across Jan 29, 2025 · Incidents damaging Europe’s undersea networks have become more frequent since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, raising suspicions they are the result of sabotage. Submarine cables account for 99 percent of the world’s intercontinental data traffic and Nov 18, 2024 · Two undersea internet cables in the Baltic Sea have been suddenly disrupted, according to local telecommunications companies, amid fresh warnings of possible Russian interference with global ABSTRACT Today, nearly all voice and Internet traffic, including essential military and financial transmissions, travels through undersea fiber-optic cables. Since then, the Baltic Sea has seen a series of incidents where undersea cables carrying telecommunications have been damaged. This is activity conducted at the level below that of warfare, designed to send certain signals to Nov 24, 2024 · Why are cables being attacked? The incident is one of many that has taken place around the world, with an increasing worry that attacking internet infrastructure is being used to try and harm the way of life of many people. 2 Militaries fear a range of threats: backdoors could be installed during the cable manufacturing or repair process; cable-landing stations, where subsea cables connect to terrestrial networks, could Jun 16, 2023 · NATO has launched a new center to help protect vulnerable undersea pipelines and cables. Was a recently-thwarted cyberattack on a Hawaii underwater cable the work of financially-motivated cybercriminals, government-sponsored hackers, or someone else? Hawaii officials are working with federal agents to determine exactly that, according to Frank Pace, the administrator of the Hawaii Office of Homeland Security. As well as undercover communication, submarine networks also facilitate more than $10 trillion of financial transactions daily. Apr 7, 2025 · How undersea attacks can shake Europe While substantial disruption has not happened so far in Europe from undersea sabotage, there have been signs of what could happen. This vast, critical submarine network infrastructure remains largely unknown to consumers and corporations not directly Nov 18, 2024 · German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said damage to two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea looks like an act of sabotage and a "hybrid action", without knowing who is to blame. Nov 19, 2024 · European governments accused Russia on Tuesday of escalating hybrid attacks on Ukraine's Western allies, as Baltic nations investigated whether the cutting of two fibre-optic telecommunication Dec 13, 2024 · Submarine cables and pipelines are vitally important for energy supply, global communications and economic activity. Jun 27, 2023 · Submarine communication cables are a growing target for cyber-threat actors, with incidents capable of causing huge global internet disruption, a new report has found. S. For example, Russia is well positioned to conduct malicious attacks on undersea cables with the help of its intelligence ship, Yantar, which was spotted loitering near cable locations in 2019 and 2021. According to Taiwanese media reports, the Shunxin-39, a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship, was intercepted by the country's coast guard about 13 kilometers off the north coast of Taiwan late Commercial undersea cable communications carry over 97% of all intercontinental electronic communications, facilitating the reach and speed of internet and phone access critical to international trade , official g overnment communications, and daily end user requirements. Undersea cables are hidden but increasingly vital enablers of the global economy that most people take for granted. 3 In response to an unlawful use of force, the injured State may take coun-termeasures in line with the international law of State responsibility, and an armed attack may be met with force in the exercise of the right of self-de-fense. The cables have become a crucial part of the West's data Jan 28, 2025 · There has been a sharp rise in damage to undersea cables in the Baltic, with at least 11 incidents reported since October 2023. Hawaii-based agents with Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security Apr 16, 2024 · Deep sea cables and pipelines that are at risk of attack pose a security challenge for NATO countries. . Jan 27, 2025 · The Swedish authorities on Monday boarded a ship in connection with what they described as “gross sabotage” after an undersea communications cable in the Baltic Sea was damaged a day earlier. The disturbance did not affect the functionality of telecommunications connections within the cable, and data traffic continued normally. Different types of underwater cables Some submarine cables Sep 21, 2024 · And, earlier this year, three undersea cables were damaged in the Red Sea during ongoing Houthi attacks in the region. Jan 15, 2025 · A series of apparent attacks on undersea internet cables show Russia exploiting a Western vulnerability, analysts say. Nov 22, 2024 · Two communications cables in the Baltic Sea have been cut in quick succession. Without making a ruling on any ongoing investigations, let’s look at the facts. This study provides a systematic review of the current security threats, as well as the actors at the origin of these threats. Jan 1, 2025 · The risks associated with near total global economic reliance on the undersea telecommunication cable network is increasingly acknowledged by scholars and government officials worldwide. But several recent high-profile incidents have exposed their vulnerability to deliberate damage from state and non-state actors. How unusual are cable breaks? Submarine cables break all Undersea infrastructure is under threat. Governments and companies can take steps to improve resilience and enhance maritime awareness. Dec 1, 2024 · Two undersea cables were cut in the Baltic sea, sparking concern for the global network Jan 5, 2025 · Taiwan suspects that China was behind the cutting of an international undersea telecom cable early Friday morning. NATO Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security David Cattler expressed particular concern about Russian activity in European waters Feb 21, 2025 · A series of undersea cables and gas pipelines have been damaged in suspected attacks since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, prompting Nato to launch a monitoring mission in the sea last month. This paper analyzes the cyber attack surface of SCCs Mar 21, 2025 · Undersea cables are having a moment. Apr 16, 2025 · As that conflict has steadily escalated, with Russian bombardment intensifying – even as the West has supplied more advanced weaponry to the Ukrainians – the Russians have seemingly found asymmetric undersea warfare, involving frequent covert, deniable attacks on undersea cables, to be a low-cost yet high-impact form of response. Feb 19, 2024 · Britain's critical undersea cable infrastructure needs an urgent defence upgrade with regular sightings of suspicious Russian activity in nearby waters and mysterious cable-cutting incidents posing severe threats. allies warned of "hybrid warfare" Tuesday after two undersea communication cables were severed in the Baltic Sea, raising suspicions that they may be the latest acts of sabotage targeting the Feb 14, 2025 · At a time when the eight NATO nations bordering the Baltic Sea are on high alert after a string of undersea power and internet cables were suspiciously severed, Russia's shadow fleet is getting Mar 21, 2025 · domain also qualify as breaches of international obligations under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC). Nov 21, 2024 · Earlier this week, operators of two communications cables— C-Lion 1 and BCS East-West Interlink —reported faults in the Baltic Sea. Nov 26, 2024 · C-Lion1 cable cutting underscores the vulnerability of Western States to intentional damage caused to critical offshore infrastructure. European officials are looking toward Russia after two submarine internet cables in the Baltic Sea were suddenly disrupted in an apparent sabotage operation, just weeks after the United States Dec 27, 2024 · Finnish authorities seized a Russia-linked ship in the Baltic Sea on Thursday, on suspicion that it damaged an undersea power cable between Finland and Estonia a day earlier. Nov 19, 2024 · Two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea were disrupted in quick succession, NATO officials and local telecommunications companies have said. Jan 30, 2025 · As authorities investigate the fourth Baltic Sea cable-cutting incident in recent months, European leaders have expressed concern about the frequency of attacks involving civilian vessels and Feb 17, 2025 · The Yemeni militia’s attacks in the Red Sea – a vital corridor for global telecom traffic – has put the cables’ vulnerability on display. These fiber-optic cables, which carry over 99 percent of global internet traffic, form the backbone of modern communication networks—underpinning economic transactions, defense coordination, and digital Mar 7, 2024 · Recent damage to three undersea cables in the Red Sea highlights that there are no easy solutions for protecting critical undersea infrastructure. Nov 19, 2024 · U. The cables have become a crucial part of the West's data Jan 13, 2025 · Sweden has committed to sending naval forces into the Baltic Sea following yet another suspected Russian attack on underwater cables in the region. Jan 28, 2025 · At least 11 undersea cables have been damaged in 15 months. Jan 6, 2025 · Taiwan suspects China of being behind damage to a crucial subsea communications cable just off its northern coast, which occurred last week. While submarine cables are occasionally damaged unintentionally, this is a rare occurrence and very unlikely to suddenly happen to two different cables 65 miles apart. But 97% of the world's communications, including trillions of Nov 25, 2024 · This hybrid attack – likely from Russia – is clearly meant to send a message to Europe and hopes to divide European governments. Recorded Future said that recent geopolitical developments, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, China’s coercive actions Dec 15, 2024 · Suspected sabotage of European undersea cables shows just how vulnerable these critical lines are to attack Analysis by Constantine Atlamazoglou Abstract The fiber-optic submarine communications cables (SCCs) are a critical infrastructure (CI) forming the cyber backbone of governments, economies, and security organizations. Dec 16, 2024 · In addition to the physical threats to Europe’s undersea infrastructure, subsea cable systems and the data that flow through them are vulnerable to hacks, espionage, and other cyber risks. Mar 5, 2024 · Three cables under the Red Sea that provide global internet and telecommunications have been cut as the waterway remains a target of Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Mar 28, 2024 · Tapping into the cables Subsea cables hold a lot of weight. It wouldn't be the first time the region was targeted. How dangerous are attacks on Apr 10, 2025 · Incidents of accidental and suspect breaches of submarine cables in northern Europe and around Taiwan concern security experts. Even temporary damage to these lines of commu-nications can have serious consequences, which is why their future security depends on how well nations understand and exploit the next wave of submarine technology. Despite their critical importance, these cables remain vulnerable to a variety of threats that could have significant consequences for economies, governments, and military Mar 19, 2025 · China’s illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive (ICAD) activities pose a mounting threat to global democracies, with subsea cable sabotage emerging as a particularly alarming tactic. Apr 13, 2022 · Federal agents in Honolulu last week “disrupted” an apparent cyberattack on an unnamed telecommunication company’s servers associated with an underwater cable responsible for internet, cable service and cell connections in Hawaii and the region, the agency said in a statement Tuesday. Feb 28, 2024 · New undersea threats like cable attacks are reshaping naval warfare, with maritime drones playing a significant role in seabed warfare. Jun 14, 2023 · A close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday there was no reason for Moscow not to destroy its enemies' undersea communication cables given what he said was Western Dec 27, 2024 · Nato has said it will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea, and Estonia has sent a patrol ship to protect its Estlink1 undersea power cable, after Russia was accused of sabotaging its Apr 7, 2025 · In total, the Baltic Sea has registered at least six suspected sabotage incidents since 2022, with 11 known undersea cables taken out since 2023. Investigators suspect sabotage. Incidents in 2023 and 2024 involving Chinese vessels damaging Baltic subsea cables Jan 25, 2024 · Threats to undersea cables are increasing. A 1,170km Jan 28, 2025 · The employment of third-country flagged cargo vessels to carry out undersea cable and pipeline sabotage operations appears to be a new element in Beijing’s ongoing gray zone warfare against Taiwan. Nov 19, 2024 · German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said damage to two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea looks like an act of sabotage and a "hybrid action", without knowing who is to blame. Local internet service seems largely unaffected, but a swirl of sabotage allegations have emerged in the global press. Jan 27, 2025 · Attacks on undersea cables are comparable to traditional espionage and information operations . Feb 5, 2025 · Executive Summary Russian hybrid attacks targeting critical undersea infrastructure (CUI), particularly fiber-optic cables, have surged in the Baltic and Arctic regions since 2021. Of course, the most difficult practical Jun 11, 2021 · Strengthening Undersea Cables Resilience Given the critical importance of subsea cables for transatlantic security, ensuring their full resiliency should be a collective priority for the United States and its European allies and partners—and while some have already adopted measures at the national level, multilateral action remains limited. In September 2022, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was blown up. Who is behind it? The cables are typically the width of a garden hose. Building on reports and expert input, the paper takes stock of current awareness Mar 10, 2025 · As undersea cables break off Europe and Taiwan, proving sabotage is tough Officials have pointed to China and Russia as likely culprits, but legal challenges make prosecutions difficult. “This is becoming more common,” Iljin said, standing in the cabin of the 23-meter-long patrol vessel, waves chopping against its sides. Jun 1, 2022 · The EU's subsea data cable network is both vital for global connectivity and vulnerable. A report from the Policy Exchange said thousands of miles of undersea fibre-optic Feb 23, 2024 · Summary: The crisis in the Red Sea, highlighted by Houthi assaults on commercial ships and Iran’s proxy strategies, also brings to light the critical issue of undersea cables’ vulnerability Mar 18, 2025 · Ways are being developed for subsea cables to "sense" whether they are being disturbed or attacked. In April 2021, Norway reported that several kilometres of its fibreoptic cables disappeared from the Svalbard archipelago, leaving Norway unable to Feb 24, 2025 · The ICPC (International Cable Protection Committee) is an organisation whose aims are to protect the worlds submarine cables. ” In 2023, Taiwanese authorities accused two Chinese vessels in the area of cutting the only two submarine cables that supply internet to Taiwan’s Matsu Islands, plunging its 14,000 residents into digital isolation for six weeks Jan 29, 2025 · Incidents damaging Europe’s undersea networks have become more frequent since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, raising suspicions they are the result of sabotage. Mar 26, 2024 · Undersea cables must be understood as critical infrastructure, and their vulnerability – to intentional tampering and accidental damage – acknowledged. A terrorist organization or nefarious nation state decides to derail the global internet by faulting the undersea fiber optic cables that connect the world Security threats to undersea communications cables and infrastructure – consequences for the EU The EU’s subsea data cable network is both vital for global connectivity and vulnerable. The deployment of three warships and a surveillance airplane from NATO's newest member to assist the bloc's attempts to prevent more subsea cable 3 days ago · Russia and China planning major undersea attack? The countries under threat are…; new report reveals shocking details… The cybersecurity company tracked and documented 44 cases of cable damage Mar 25, 2022 · On average, there are over a hundred breaks of submarine cables every year, caused in general by the fishing boats that pull the anchors. Jan 24, 2025 · MPs and Lords will examine threats to undersea cables in a new inquiry launched today by the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS). In October 2023, a Chinese-flagged vessel was suspected of damaging both submarine data cables and a gas Sep 13, 2021 · The construction of new submarine cables is a key part of the constantly changing physical topology of the Internet worldwide. These disruptions threaten essential communication channels and expose the vulnerabilities of Northern Europe’s infrastructure. These networks are prone to cyber attacks that can compromise the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of civilian and military networks across the globe. Last year, energy bills rose by 10 per cent in Estonia after glitches in one undersea cable, according to Politico. Europe is highly dependent on undersea infrastructure. A Gulf Arab push towards developing into data hubs is also prompting calls to further strengthen this infrastructure. Nov 20, 2024 · Two undersea cables in the Baltic were severed in recent days. (Reuters: Danish Defence Command) Jan 24, 2025 · An inquiry looking into the vulnerability of the UK’s undersea cable system to attack from foreign entities has been launched by the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS). Aug 16, 2024 · The scale and exposure of undersea infrastructure also make it an easy target for saboteurs operating in the gray zone of “ deniable attacks short of war. May 30, 2025 · Undersea cables carry 95% of global data, yet remain vulnerable to sabotage in strategic competition. This article explores how attacks on these cables threaten national security and global stability—and how resilience can help. Germany's defense minister said it was likely an act of sabotage. Feb 3, 2025 · How are underwater cables constructed? Modern submarine cables consist of several layers of fiber optics that use light pulses to transmit digital information. The world increasingly relies on undersea cables for economic viability. Recent disruptive incidents affecting seabed infrastructure—including cables—have served only to highlight the network’s vulnerability. Sep 6, 2024 · The US has detected increased Russian military activity around key undersea cables, and believes Russia may now be more likely to carry out potential sabotage operations aimed at disabling a Feb 12, 2025 · A spate of sabotage attacks on underwater cables, allegedly perpetrated by a Russian "shadow fleet," have shown global telecommunications infrastructure is poorly protected against deliberate acts of destruction. Two undersea cables in the Baltic were severed in recent days. Their security is at risk. In February 2023, China was alleged to have severed two cables bringing internet connections to an outlying island of Taiwan, disconnecting the island from the wider web Nov 19, 2024 · European officials are looking toward Russia after two submarine internet cables in the Baltic Sea were suddenly disrupted in an apparent sabotage operation, just weeks after the United States Nov 19, 2024 · European officials are looking toward Russia after two submarine internet cables in the Baltic Sea were suddenly disrupted in an apparent sabotage operation, just weeks after the United States Feb 17, 2025 · Western nations suspect Russia is behind a series of sabotage attacks on gas pipelines and undersea cables. It is difficult to measure intentional attacks, but the movements of some ships have started to draw attention since 2014, their route following submarine telecommunication cables. Dec 5, 2024 · Undersea internet cables around the world handle 99 percent of transcontinental digital communications, but they're also still vulnerable to breakage—and sabotage. Learn how attacks on cables and pipelines impact global connectivity and stability. Mar 26, 2025 · Attacks on undersea infrastructure came to the fore in September 2022 when the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines that carry natural gas under the Baltic sea from Russia to Germany exploded in an act of sabotage. Jan 27, 2025 · After a series of suspected undersea cable cuttings, NATO has launched a new surveillance and deterrence mission to protect critical infrastructure under the Baltic Sea. Russia’s continued hybrid attacks on critical undersea infrastructure (CUI) in the region are a risky game following NATO’s Washington Summit in July statement that hybrid attacks could trigger Article 5. Sep 12, 2024 · The United States has recently detected indications of increased Russian military activity around key undersea cables, fueling concerns over a possible escalation in the Kremlin's hybrid war against the west, writes Aleksander Cwalina. This article examines how fast-paced technological developments in Mar 24, 2025 · In February, Cinia detected a disturbance on the C-Lion1 submarine cable between Finland and Germany. Feb 20, 2025 · The EU said the failure of the undersea cable was the "latest in a series of suspected attacks on critical infrastructure”. Jan 19, 2025 · Over the past two years, there have been major sabotage attacks on European undersea critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Apr 10, 2025 · Russian cable attacks ‘threaten to cut off world’s internet’ Rise in sabotage incidents is putting critical services at risk, say telecoms companies Dec 10, 2024 · This most recent attack severed two different fiber-optic cables, the C-Lion1 cable connecting Finland and Germany and the Arelion cable connecting the Swedish island of Gotland to Lithuania. This study provides a systematic review of the current security threats, as well as the actors at the Mar 18, 2025 · Ways are being developed for subsea cables to "sense" whether they are being disturbed or attacked. Germany's defense minister. Everyday business activities, such as sending emails, making video calls, transmitting data and transferring money, rely on the services provided by telecommunication cables that traverse the floors of the world's seas and oceans. Subsea cables are thick fibre-optic cables running along the bottom of the Dec 2, 2024 · Undersea telecommunication cables form the foundation of the global internet and communication networks, carrying 99% of transoceanic digital communications and $10 trillion dollars in financial transactions daily. ndy majte aznzl czk xivib yjrxeu pirys vgagkbat bbovvmp arcaw